


La mia Stella, Il tuo Sole, Il nostro Cielo

by CaptivatingLadySpinel



Series: The seven colors of the rainbow [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: A bit of pureblood customes, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Arcobaleno Curse (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Arranged Marriage, Dino is the oblivious student who doesn't get what is going on, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Dying Will Flames (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), F/M, Famiglias, Fem!Harry, Harry's name is Iolanthe, He does get a bit sharp, I Tried, Iolanthe is Lady Potter/Black/Peverell, Iolanthe is very proficient with Magic, Luna is a cutie, Reborn becomes Lord Potter/Black/Peverell, Seer Luna Lovegood, She might be a closeted Ravenclaw, and a bit obsessive, and failed, and the Mafia, because the story demanded it, because they deserved it, but I sucked at portraying her Lunaness, guns and stuff, it comes from the Peverells, mild MOD!Harry Potter, mostly cannon Harry Potter background story, yet gets to become
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2019-11-15 11:32:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 54
Words: 325,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18072644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptivatingLadySpinel/pseuds/CaptivatingLadySpinel
Summary: Reborn gets a letter. He wants to kill the person who was the author of this prank and more because they knew his real name! But well, it's better to get married than to die and he could accept the woman who could cower the strongest in the Vindice just perfectly fine.Iolanthe is just used to things happening to her and is no longer surprised. But hey! Her Husband is a baby! Oh joy.





	1. A letter came

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first story I will be posting. If you want to give it a try, then welcome! 
> 
> First of all, I own nothing but my life, cheap ideas and the tablet in which I write. Since I'm not rich and living la vida loca, then Harry Potter and Katekyou Hitman Reborn! are not mine.
> 
> If you find ideas similar to other fics you have read, then I might have been inspired by them or I share the same views as many writers out there. Nothing is intended and/or on purpose.
> 
> So, enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just editing. Don't mind it too much XD

_Renato Sinclair_

He almost ripped the envelope when he read that name but could contain himself and then proceeded to examine the offensive item. Now that he looked closely, he noticed that it was not normal paper but something coarser and thicker, way too formal and too old. He was sure they didn’t use this kind of paper for decades if not more than a century. Whoever sent this was either too old-fashioned, didn't want to be recognized or plain crazy.

Option two was discarded when he turned the envelop and saw a red wax seal on it with the name 'Gringotts' barely visible above a crest. Whatever Gringotts was, he was certain that a world of pain would fall upon them. He had made sure almost nobody knew his real name. Knowing the prank would gain the unfortunate person or persons a bullet in the head, his mood got a tiny bit better. He was still completely annoyed, vexed and murderous though, to realize that there was someone who knew his real name. 

No matter, either the person was truly idiotic or too confident and he was generous enough to grant their Deathwish. He was not the Best Hitman in the world for nothing. In the meantime, he made his student, Stupid-Dino, dance with a rain of bullets because he could and needed to vent. Too bad the bird that delivered the letter flew away already. He had to conform.

"Oi! Reborn!" Stupid-Dino cried.

_Tch, such a weakling_

He broke the wax seal and took out the single page of whatever this kind of paper was. The first line made him throw a grenade to his stupid student and ignored his pitiful yelling to keep reading.

 

* * *

 

  _Gringotts Wizarding Bank_

_Mr. Sinclair you have been summoned to a meeting with Head Manager Bloodfang regarding a marriage contract between the Sinclair family and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. It is of utmost importance that you approach the London branch of the bank to discuss this arrangement._

_The other party involved in this contract is Lady Iolanthe Jamie Potter who currently dwells in Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, London. You may want to contact her if you have previous questions before coming to the London Branch._

_Regards,_

_Bloodfang,_

_Accountant Manager of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, Black and Peverell._

* * *

 

At least he knew where to find the lunatic that wrote this joke. Lady or not, there was no way he would let someone who knew his name alive. Women were even more vicious than men so there was no way he would be more merciful, he will make her pay for her audacity. But first, he needed to make plans to complete this kill quickly. He eyed Stupid-Dino and sighed seeing how useless this student of his was. Did he think that resting on the grass and let his bodyguards pamper him would make him a decent Mafia Boss? The least he could do is get proficient Guardians if he was going to be this pathetic.

Two years and he had not made any progress.

"Stupid-Dino! Pack your things! We are making a trip to England, you have 5 minutes!"

"Wha- Wait! Reborn!" But said Hitman ignored Dino’s protests and called a few people to lend him a plane. It was time Stupid-Dino learned to fly.

....

_Clack clack_

Reborn’s polished shoes resonated on the pavement from the sidewalk. The dreary weather from London was the cause for the thin fog in the streets even if it was already 7am and he could see people and cars making their way to their jobs or classes. It wasn't even Winter yet and the cold was already present in the air. He really hated this type of weather. Though, what he hated more was that despite being in London for almost a week now, he still couldn't find 12 Grimmauld Place.

He tried, God knows as soon as he arrived to London the first thing he wanted was to send this Lady Potter six feet under. Yet, he wasn't even able to find a simple house! To say his ego was a bit bruised was an understatement. Too bad his stupid student wasn't there to vent a bit. He made a nice outlet. That's why, instead, he found himself walking the more than familiar street for the nth time to look for the house that fully eluded him.

To be honest, he was more frustrated than anything and a bit curious than at the beginning. He found number 11 and 13 quickly enough but number 12 was nowhere to be seen. He was sure there was some sort of conspiracy here -Mist level- and the word Chaos around it. This Lady Potter was smarter than he gave her credit and the deep hatred and desire to kill her disappeared and instead a grudging respect for the lady took place.

His steps led him to the already known number 11 but soon froze in place when he saw it. The thrice damned house he had been looking for so long finally appeared in front of him! Sitting cosily between 11 and 13 was 12 Grimmauld Place. He cursed in all the languages he knew and stomped down the desire to scream in rage and just throttle that door and demand for answers!

Because houses didn't appear out of nowhere!

Instead, he took a deep breath, looked around to make sure that nobody was watching him and walked past the small gate and up the steps not before a chill ran down his spine and he felt as if he just went through some sort of thin veil. His questions were increasing by the second. Whoever this Lady Potter was, she was getting more interesting and threatening. Though he was still confident that if anything went south then he could kill her and anyone else inside this house.

He paused for a second in front of the door when he noticed there wasn't a doorknob, there was just a knocker in the shape of a snake. Such a weird thing. Looking around and activating his Flames, he adjusted his hearing to capture the slightest noise inside the house, then he knocked. He would deny to his dying breath that he flinched when the sound reverberated within the house and something seemed to come alive within it. His hand stealthily moved towards his gun.

His keen hearing picked up the light steps in the house. Certainly someone who knew how to walk without gaining attention, with years of experience sneaking around and with a lithe build. He kept paying attention and his body tensed when he heard a woman speaking.

"Kreacher, can you see who's at the door, please?" He was of the idea that this was Lady Potter, her voice was soft but not less authoritative even if it was somewhat relaxed. So, according to Reborn, she was someone who was in a high position but didn't like to flaunt it around. She definitely was Boss material. The type that her subordinates would like and would protect expecting a home in exchange. Not bad.

Reborn heard a coarse voice mumble something unintelligible then a huff. The same light steps approached the door muttering about 'ungrateful house elves', whatever that was. His eyebrows rose when he heard several bolts being unlocked, no doubt the door could only be opened from the inside. That was either truly brilliant or completely useless. Paranoid enough? Absolutely.

The first sight he received from this Lady Potter, because he was almost 100% sure this was Lady Potter was of a cream colored skirt and also a glimpse of red underwear courtesy of the well-timed gale that blew. If anything, he wasn't that unsatisfied with this trip, she has nice legs. 

"Yes, how may I help you?" Her voice was a bit wary but gentle.

And for the second time, Reborn froze.

She was looking at him; not the cursed tiny body he was forced into after being made an Arcobaleno but truly looking at him as if he was a normal person. Her eyes were looking exactly where his eyes should have been if he had his normal body. Not any inch above or below. Right to his eyes somewhat obscured by his well-loved fedora.

Just what was going on? Who was she?

The Hitman took a shuddering breath and pursed his lips because for the first time he was going to say something that he would regret for the rest of his life and a new surge of hatred towards his cursed form blossomed.

"Down here," he bitterly said. She blinked and slowly looked down and blinked once again. She looked like she was trying to fit the childish voice with the form she had seen before and also having trouble focusing on his real form now that she was aware of the smaller body.

"Oh."

Oh indeed.

Her eyes looked up and down between his two faces and then to the yellow Pacifier around his neck and realization dawned in her eyes and face. If he ever thought that she was an assassin or Boss of some sort of organization, it died when he noticed that despite her wary voice, posture -because he did notice she took a defensive posture ready to fight or flee when she wasn't able to recognize him- and too weary eyes, there was this innocence around her that no killer or schemer had.

"Oh," she said again; not really eloquent this one. Her eyes settled on his petite form and aborted crouching so they were eye to eye. Clearly she had tact enough to discern that he wouldn't be thankful for the action no matter his discomfort of looking up. "May I help you?" She asked again.

His hand automatically took out the letter he was sent because he didn't trust his voice with anything, not when he was pretty unsettled. He was ashamed to admit that he was somewhat affected by the exchange. This was the first time after being cursed that he didn't receive any sort of pity, unneeded sympathy and fake understanding from someone. She was the first to look past his tiny form to the real him. It was what he wanted, desired with all his might.

A groan took him out of his thoughts and he almost snickered when he saw her resigned face. Definitely she was familiar to this type of crazy stuff and he would for sure receive some answers. Well, he was having fun in this type of Chaos even if everything was new to him. She heavily sighed and looked at him.

"Come in," she said finally making way for him to enter. After she closed the door, all the bolts were put back in their place locking it. If he needed to escape by the door, all those locks would hinder him.

The entryway was narrow and long with luxurious chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. This Lady Potter had money. The walls were of a beige color that contrasted with the dark mahogany wooden floor. She turned left down the first room and into the parlour in which there were armchairs and a low table, a fireplace and high windows with the same beige walls and wood floor. She motioned for him to sit and he chose the chair in which he could see the whole room and out the window towards the street.

He glanced at her and she looked amused by his choice. He was starting to appreciate this Lady Potter, it seemed she was able to guess why he chose that seat. She chose to sit opposite him, left the letter on the table and got herself comfortable on her armchair giving him the chance to look at her. The cream colored skirt was a dress with a button up front and long sleeves. She was on the lithe side but with a nice figure, her face was small with refined features making her cute and dignified at the same time.

Her black hair was a loose mess but it was her eyes that commanded attention (despite being shadowed by quirky round glasses that looked strangely well on her). They were a vibrant green that seemed very expressive but cunning and a bit unnerving. He couldn't exactly relax under her gaze, the gaze that was analyzing him too. He approved. His thoughts were rudely interrupted when a tea set and pastries appeared on the table all of a sudden. His hand immediately took out his gun and pointed it at her.

His eyebrow twitched when she responded, if a bit slower, by pointing a stick to him. Though even if it was a stick, he didn't dare underestimate her. There was some sort of energy building up inside her, coiling, ready to attack at the minute movement. It wasn't any type of Flame he knew of but it felt similar.

This was getting interesting.

The impasse went on for a couple of seconds before he relented. He was in her house after all and he was being rude. Just after he put his gun back in place she put away her weapon in a holster strapped on her forearm he hadn't noticed before. He cursed in his mind, he got careless. She relaxed a bit so she could pour herself a cup of tea and grabbed a pastry. He didn't moved until she sipped her tea. He was sure she was putting him at ease with her actions and was internally grateful for it.

“Right! Where are my manners? Iolanthe Potter.” She extended her hand towards the Hitman who graciously took it feeling the rough parts in her palm.

“Ciaossu, I’m Reborn.” He simply replied and then both went back to their teas.

"Kreacher, my mail, please," Lady Potter said after putting her empty cup on the saucer. With a pop, the most hideous creature he had ever seen appeared with a stack of letters under one of its wiry arms. Reborn tensed but refrained from whipping out his gun. The thing even had the nerve to sneer at him and just popped out of existence after leaving the pack of letters on the table. "Sorry about him, he's like that." She said with a helpless smile while sorting through her letters.

He nodded and just went back to the tea he had prepared. It was good tea even if he preferred coffee. She finally picked one of the letters leaving the others on the table. He eyed the name on the envelope on top and couldn't help be impressed when he read: 'Lady Iolanthe Jamie of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, Regent Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black and Duchess of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell'.

Alright, she didn't only have money, she was filthy rich; a Lady of two Houses, Houses he hadn't heard of before but Ancient and Noble Houses nonetheless and Duchess of another. That had to amount to something!

"Merlin's saggy balls," he almost choked on his tea when he heard her curse. That was too much for him. He didn't want to know about nobody's saggy balls, thank you very much. A letter appeared in front of him that he hesitantly took and after confirming that he was able to read, he did so.

 

* * *

 

  _Dear Iolanthe Jamie,_

_Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter_

_Regent Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black_

_Duchess of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell_

_As per your request, we made an inventory of the assets in your three Houses that not only included your Galleons, but artifacts, heirlooms, jewelry, wands, furniture, portraits, a miscellaneous of other items, properties and contracts were accounted too. It was in these last ones that we found one most curious one and that requires your attention as it concerns marriage to one Mr. Renato Sinclair._

_An owl with the news has been sent to Mr. Sinclair and referred to your address to inquire for more information. We would like for you to present yourself with me to discuss this marriage contract at the soonest you can arrive._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Bloodfang,_

_Accountant Manager of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and Black and Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell_

 

* * *

 

 

"Do you know anything about it?" Reborn inquired after placing the letter on the table. He took on her grumpy face, that he likened to a disgruntled kitten, and bit on a pastry to hide his smile.

"How would I? I barely arrived yesterday after months away in the States," she sighed. She eyed him and worried her bottom lip, no doubt thinking. That habit looked endearing on her. If she used it very often in the Mafia, she would probably have lines after lines of suitors. "It seems we will need to go to Gringotts about this matter, Mr. Sinclair."

"Reborn!" he snapped after bristling at hearing that name. "Nobody knows me by my real name anymore." Luckily, she easily agreed with a small smile and a nod.

"I will go grab my purse and coat then we can go, just give me a moment." He noticed how she didn’t ask him to change the way he addressed her. She definitely had a high standing in society. She stood and with the same light steps she walked out of the room and went up the stairs he spied earlier when he entered. He tensed again when the same strange creature appeared to take the tea set and pastries away.

After a moment, he was left alone so he took the chance to very cautiously leave something in the armchair and hope nobody would noticed it.

Hearing a soft crack, he peered out the window and spotted a long-haired blonde young man making his way to the house. He was wearing an expensive suit in dark blue with a silver shirt and black tie and shoes. There was some sort of robe that billowed behind him that Reborn approved just for the dramatics -maybe he should implement that on his stupid student to evoke some sort of presence. The man knew how to give himself an image even if his aura was weaker than Lady Potter's.

No doubt another person of high society like her.

He curiously noted through his hearing that when the young man arrived at the door, he didn't have to knock and just entered, the bolts automatically undoing themselves. How did he manage that? His steps were heavier but not less graceful and had a certain rhythm to them. Definitely well bred. The young man paused at the entrance of the parlour when he took notice of Reborn sitting there. Their eyes locked and both kept staring until they heard the soft steps of Lady Potter.

"Draco! I was wondering where you were!" She greeted him with a hug that he gingerly reciprocated. Either he didn’t like being touched or he was not used to it. Perhaps the latter by the regal way he stood. She should have been like him but maybe she was loose in her interactions with her closest people.

"Iolanthe," he greeted back. Oh, he was really posh. The tone was mild when speaking with her but Reborn guessed it would be insufferable in front of a stranger. "It's good to see you again, it seems the States didn't make you wilder." He said with a smile showing his pearly white teeth. She huffed. His eyes tightened at the corners seeing the unladylike action of hers. By that remark, Reborn guessed she was coarser and more unruly in the past and was taught recently how to behave like someone from high society. She is new to her status, then.

"It was just for a few months and I was mostly working, though I managed a nice tan!" She chirped baring her arm. Posh-guy’s lips twitched. She definitely was new to her status. His manners were of those men from the past century. Not freely allowing a woman to show her skin. She had no problems with it but he was getting used to it through her most likely.

Just this exchange gave Reborn so much information about the people in front of him but the question that still remained was, who were these people?

"I can see that," posh-guy replied with amusement. Reborn guessed that Lady Potter was fairer before the peach colored skin she sported now. "And I can see you brought someone back too." He glanced at Reborn expecting an explanation from her. This indicated they were either good friends or involved with each other.

"Ah, yeah! Draco, this is Re- Reborn!" The introduced Reborn could hear her pause before she changed the way to address him.

“Ciaossu.” Reborn greeted the blonde man.

"Mr. Reborn, this is my best friend, Draco, Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy.” Right, that confirmed they were all people with money and standing. “Practically we are betrothed and we are going to Gringotts to see about that." She added but it seemed the news were too blunt for the blondie as his head whipped back to her.

"You are betrothed to a child?" Alright, Reborn disliked this 'Draco' guy now. Lady Potter was able to see his real form, ok?!

"Don't be silly, can't you see that he is a man?" Draco eyed Reborn dubiously and then back at Lady Potter in disbelief. "You can't see it? He is cursed to look like a child." She earnestly explained but this Draco just shook his head making Lady Potter pause. She could clearly see it, a bit blurred on the edges but there was a man sitting at the armchair even if the form of a child sometimes imposed on his image. "Huh."

Huh indeed.


	2. The Marriage Contract

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of background of what happened to Iolanthe and co. after the war and the marriage contract appears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention that I will be updating twice a week since I am still writing this fic and a couple of others. 
> 
> For this chapter, please keep in mind that the marriage contract was made almost two centuries ago and there were many superstitions involving marriage back then. Or at least, I think the Magical community back then would have those superstitions. If you think the contract is not tight enough, let me know your suggestions to add them. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!
> 
> Edit: I am just changing some words, don't mind it too much :D (June 1st)

If Reborn was a lesser man he would have face-planted on the dirty floor of the dingy pub he appeared in after experiencing the worst mean of transportation ever. Whoever said travelling by fireplace was a good idea, he wanted to put a bullet in their head. Not to say it was creepy and strange and for the first time he was not sure what he was dealing with.

First, a house appeared out of nowhere even if he had passed in front of it several times, then a woman pointed a stick at him and he felt threatened by said stick, now he was travelling from one fireplace to another using some mystical powder. At least he didn't stumble like the woman responsible of all the stuff he had recently experienced, the woman who could actually look at his real form. And wasn't that a surprise? Not even posh-guy -Draco, he reminded himself- was able to see him but she was more than capable.

"I really hate Floo," she grumbled. Signaling for him to follow her to the back of the pub after a half-hearted wave towards the bartender. She tapped a brick wall and he couldn't believe his eyes when the wall crumbled and made way to basically another world. "Welcome to Diagon Alley." She presented with a flourish of her arm. He suspected an indiscriminate use of Mist Flames but he couldn’t see the tell-tale that it was an illusion.

He had seen colorful and noisy villages, towns and cities (illusion or not) before but this was completely different; the people were different. They were wearing unique clothes so outdated that it was not funny and the stores sold things he had never seen before, much less knew the use of them. Was that shop really selling brooms and that other one sold eyes in a jar? His mind immediately told him that he was dealing with a new society just like the Mafia World, because that deserved the capital letters.

The people parted like the Red Sea when his companion walked by and eyed her with awe and worship and the whispers were full of excitement that they were trying and failing to hide. It seemed Lady Potter was popular among these people or at least well-known. And he was getting more curious about his... betrothed. He internally cringed at the thought. He had to give Lady Potter some credit as she was beautiful but any kind of involvement beyond a few nights together was not what he wanted with a woman.

His past lovers could attest to that.

Though instead of looking like a potential husband, he looked more like her child or something. The ladies around them were not helping by cooing at him, not at all. He endured it all not wanting to do a disservice to the only person who could provide him with answers.  

...

Iolanthe ignored the revering gazes of the masses and purposefully walked towards Gringotts. She was really getting desensitized to all the crazy stuff she had to face, because after Dark Lords, Death Eaters, Basilisks, Werewolves and a freaking war, a marriage contract was low on the level of insane that was Iolanthe's life. Sure, she had wanted to marry by love and a contract was ruining that possibility to her -she really hated that many choices were being picked for her. From what he learned from Draco and his Pureblood ways then betrothed contracts couldn't be easily annulled.

Well, she hoped this one could be annulled, or in the case it couldn't be, then there had to be a way around it. It was not fair for either of them. She only wanted to live her own life however she pleased and the man was cursed, that was obvious. It was such a vicious thing that not only made him look like a toddler, there was also something that was pervading his body and his... soul, because she had no way to describe the type of energy he had. It had to do with the soul but at the same time it didn't.

As a Special Consultant in Curses, she was fascinated by the nature of this curse. It was something new and she always liked new challenges. She was no Curse Breaker -though she could work as one. Instead she was more into the healing side; she attended to people not things, though a look at the cursed object was helpful in many cases. Her career was something she took pride in.

There really was nothing she could do about it since after the war, all she had was old 12 Grimmauld Place and the darkest library in the world -maybe. If she didn't take advantage of it, then she would have lived in vain.

Ron and Hermione worried due to her choice of career. It was too liberal according to them in the way that she had to study all branches of magic, that included dark magic, to understand curses better. After her firm argument that she had already decided on her path that was not becoming an Auror or a teacher, as she first thought she would become, they distanced a bit. She completely understood where they were coming from and felt warm seeing they cared but it was her life and she had made a choice.

She only hoped they could accept it as all the other things she had thrown at them and still remained strong against the odds. But it seemed they could have accepted anything from her, maybe even marrying a werewolf or vampire, but studying dark magic was not one. Acting as witness for the Malfoy family in their trials didn't help their already strained relationship and they ended up as just amicable acquaintances.

She always thought they couldn’t get past the fact they were tortured in Malfoy Manor and that everything that had that name was evil and despicable. Iolanthe thought otherwise, she always had a realistic, if not jaded, view of the world and she was aware that everything that happened there was purely Bellatrix Lestrange. If that made her cruel towards their feelings, so be it. She had been many things before, many not by choice, she could bear with being cruel but true to herself.

She simply couldn’t change the way they viewed things. Even after the war, they looked like they just wanted to forget and move on.

Iolanthe couldn’t decide who was more of a coward in that regard. Them to give their backs to everything that transpired in their world, everything they were involved in and helped change but just swept under the rug, dusted their hands and moved on as if nothing happened; or her, for not wanting to let go of that bit of warmth she received from the many people she had lost, for still trying to cling to them as if they were the ones keeping her alive.

One thing she was sure of was that she would never forget, because her past was what made her who she was and she would never turn her back to it.

She didn't resent them and she didn't feel the loss of her first friends as hard as she thought she would. Draco and Luna had a bit to do with it. After their trials, the Malfoys basically lost everything as they had to pay reparations for all the damage they had done by allying to the Dark Lord -reluctant as they were the second time. Her interference saved them from being thrown into Azkaban yet they ended up as poor or poorer than the Weasleys.

Of course, there were many people who gloated at their misfortune and mocked the family for their situation. Many were just spineless bastards that just knew how to lick ass and hide behind people with power.

It was a heavy hit for Lucius Malfoy and he seemed to have aged after they were released. It was Narcissa that couldn't handle seeing her family devastated and throwing her face and dignity aside she asked Iolanthe for help. As daughter of House Black and Iolanthe as the new Regent Lady, there was no one else she could ask for help (at that time, she didn’t have the best of relationships with her own sister Andromeda Tonks).

As much as Iolanthe disliked Lucius and wasn't on the best of terms with Draco, she had no reason to deny the woman. Not after she lied without any remorse to Voldemort himself. If anything, Iolanthe respected the woman for that. Narcissa Malfoy regarded her family more valuable than any promise made by that lunatic.

Now she was living, together with Lucius Malfoy, in a cottage in Scotland that belongs to the Blacks. Curiously it is near the Potter's Ancestral Home so they were neighbors basically.

Draco was another story.

As soon as he saw that his parents were happily settled in the cottage -it wasn't that hard since Narcissa used to visit it when she was little- he begged, in his own way, for Iolanthe to let him live in Grimmauld Place. Apparently, he wanted to apprentice to a Potions Master and get his own Mastery and living in London would make things easier for him. At first she was wary of him, but seeing as he just paid attention to his own career, she started to open up.

Lo and behold, they became best friends.

Luna just appeared one day, asked for a place to stay for a couple of days and settled in Grimmauld Place as if she had been living there for a long time. Iolanthe was very fond of the airy witch. Luna always looked past the titles and imposed image on Iolanthe and advised her in so many things that she was sure Luna wasn’t even aware of. After all, she just said things in passing not caring if her words were heed or not.

It wasn’t until a month later and Luna still being in the house that Iolanthe asked her what was wrong. Luna seemed to have been waiting to be asked that (and Iolanthe cursed herself for that oversight) and went on a long spiel of how her father was not the same after the war. That he didn’t see Luna with the same eyes again and threw himself to his work. Luna tried to understand his father and what he must have been feeling but after days of him neglecting her existence even in the same room, she couldn’t handle it.

She basically ran away because she didn’t want to feel like a burden to his father’s already fragile mental state and admitted she felt hurt by his behavior. Iolanthe supposed the man was still in shock and drowning in guilt.

Iolanthe consoled Luna the best she could, though she knew she failed miserably if the knowing and amused looks Luna sent her was anything to go by. It was still appreciated and Luna declared Iolanthe her best friend just like that.

After that, the three of them, went into a flurry of activity. Luna decided she didn’t want to go back to Hogwarts like Draco and Iolanthe and joined them for their mad self-study sessions to get their N.E.W.T.s by the end of the year in December. It was utter chaos during those months and more than once Iolanthe felt Kreacher giving them the boot and throwing them to the streets due to the countless messes and incidents in the house.

She still didn’t know how they manage to tackle eight N.E.W.T.s. Iolanthe was sure that both Draco and Luna didn’t need that many subjects for their careers but they still decided they would give her moral support and take them too. At the end of the year, they were proud owners of EE’s and O’s in Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures.

She really needed all those subject just to enter the Intensive Healing Course she intended to take. She was by no means a certified Healer or Medi-witch, she needed to spend more time studying Healing for that but she at least comprehended the intricacies of Curses, how they acted on the body and how to apply the counter-curse like she intended and not having the unfortunate fellow suffer by their carelessness and inexperience.

After that, she decided to expand her horizons and contacted the goblins (after they robbed her of half her fortune for her breaking-in and forced her to take the mantle of her Ladyships and have the money continue to flow in her vaults, they were a bit happier with her entering the bank) to connect her with experts around the world to apprentice under them.

The goblins came back to her with various names of people that were looking for apprentices or assistants willing to take her. She arranged everything through the goblins and a couple of months later she was travelling to Turkey to apprentice under a Dark Magic Magus (he was an expert in the subject hence his title of Magus). Then she went to Japan and learned a new way to use Runes in the form of Seals from a Miko in a secluded shrine and finally to the States where none other than Newt Scamander was looking for an assistant into a new venture with his Magical Creatures.

There she met, by pure coincidence, with Luna who was planning together with a Rolf Scamander, Newt’s grandson, to look for a species nearly extinct in Australia. It was entertaining to watch that meeting seeing as Rolf could not take his eyes off of dear Luna.

But she severely digressed and went back to the matter in question: Reborn's curse. Or this Reborn in general, he was a powerful individual if the levels of his energy were anything to go by. He had to be if he had lived with that curse for some time, maybe years. She could see it. There was a reluctant acceptance of his situation in the way he presented himself. That only spoke of years dealing with his cursed form. So it meant that his reserves were immense, bigger than hers even!

It wasn't Magic, that was for sure. But he was magical enough to be able to see 12 Grimmauld Place since Muggles couldn't see it due to the wards. If she hadn't made that trip to the States and stumbled with the shamanic community and their type of magic then she wouldn't know there truly existed other types of energy sources in the world that were not exactly Magic. With the Shamans back in the States and the Shinto Mikos back in Japan she was more than willing to believe there were other secret communities out there and this Renato Sinclair was part of one of those communities.

The way he reacted to the Wizarding World revealed he wasn't aware of it and the usage of Muggle weaponry told her that whatever type of energy they used was intertwined with the Muggles or their devices at least. He certainly looked experienced in what he was; she was inclined to believe he was some sort of Hit Wizard if the wariness, cautiousness and ability to analyze everything he posed his eyes on was anything to go by.

Though that didn't stop her amusement when he looked ready to battle the goblins stationed at the entrance of the bank after being snarled at. He sure had his share of ego and pride on him. She briskly walked to the nearest teller and stated her business. After her act of robbing and escaping the bank riding a dragon, she was not in their good graces. Not that she minded.

"I'm here to see my manager Bloodfang." The teller snarled at her and snapped at one of the younger goblins around in gobbledygook. The younger goblin snarled at her to follow him. She gave Reborn a glance to indicate they could follow the goblin and the three of them soon navigated the maze that was the offices in Gringotts before arriving at the door that had a plaque with the name Bloodfang on it.

The young goblin sharply knocked on the door twice and then left without a word. Iolanthe and Reborn entered to the ample office of Bloodfang who was eyeing them behind his too large desk -for him at least. He motioned them to sit and arranged the papers on his desks that she was sure were all the contracts from the Potters, Blacks and Peverells -if the last ones had any left. She hoped not. Seeing all that paperwork was making her tired already.

"Lady Potter," greeted Bloodfang more neutrally than the other goblins. Seeing as he was the one managing her money and the one who sucked half her fortune and wrestled a good number of properties from her after her stunt in the bank to mend bridges with them, he, at least, owed her a bit of goodwill. "It's good to see you were able to meet your, ah, betrothed." Bloodfang eyed Reborn meticulously.

"To the point Bloodfang, let me see that contract." The goblin snapped his beady eyes back to Iolanthe and with a sharp nod, he planted the marriage contract that had Iolanthe and Reborn in that situation in front of her. She snatched it from the desk and started reading not paying attention to anybody else.

 

* * *

 

_Formal Marriage Contract_

_In the view that the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter and the Sinclair's family Magicks were of different nature and with all the intent and purposes of trying to intermix both Magicks, Lord Harrison of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter and Mr. Angelo Sinclair from Italy have deemed it for the best of both families to set this marriage contract that involves any descendants of the aforementioned families._

_The terms set by the parties are non-negotiable and state the following:_

_The female of the two betrothed must be a virgin on the night of their wedding to ensure offsprings from this union. If this term is violated, then the betrothal will pass to the next eligible descendants._

_Any lovers are to be discarded and none are allowed in the period of marriage of the couple. Both need to remain faithful to each other and in the case of violation of this term, Mother Magic will punish according to the violation and the guilty party will be stripped away from their Magicks._

_The couple involved need to procreate a child before either of them are 21. As the main reason for this betrothal is to intermix the Magicks of both families, the couple must have at least a child before either the male or female of the couple is 21. In the case the newborn doesn't possess both magicks, the couple needs to keep trying until a child possesses them. Failure of this term due to negligence is punishment by stripping away the Magicks of the guilty party. Failure due to being unable to produce the required child, the task will be passed on to the next eligible descendants._

_In case of death from either party during the marriage and no child with the required magicks is procured then the task will be passed to the next eligible descendants._

_Both parties are entitled to a pre-nuptial if that is to their liking but it is not required of them. In the case of divorce, Mother magic will see it as breaking this contract and therefore being stripped away of the magick from both parties, same if they decide to ignore this contract marriage._

_We hereby agree to the conditions in this contract. Signing here will be legally binding and will be acknowledged by Mother Magic:_

_..........................................                                          ........................................_

_Iolanthe Jamie Potter                                                      Renato Sinclair_

* * *

 

Reborn was just missing a cup of coffee and some pastries because Lady Potter's face was such an spectacle that he was having trouble keeping his amusement from showing on his face. The way she just let her head drop on the desk with a heavy and loud thunk, almost made him break his mask. The goblin was not having any problem showing what he thought of her reactions and had the most malevolent face of schadenfreude Reborn had ever seen.

Though as soon as he was passed the contract and read it, it took all he could to not make an spectacle of his face too. What the hell was this Angelo Sinclair thinking?! Intermix of their magicks?! Procuring a child?! How the fuck was he supposed to do that when he looked like a child himself?! And it even had to be before either were 21 or they would be stripped away of their powers! He didn't want to lose his Flames! Oh, look, at least he would be able to keep his own money. Joy.

"Please tell me you are 19 or even 18, I guess 17 would do too," Lady Potter's words took him out of his internal ranting and glancing at her he could see the desperation on her face. Well, it wouldn't do to give false hope to her, no matter how much he enjoyed her expressions of misery. He drew amusement from her reactions.

"Technically I am reaching my 60's and I was 26 when I was forced into this form," he deadpanned.

She groaned, "Fuck my ancestor to hell and beyond" and cursed while hitting her head on the desk continuously. The goblin clearing his throat, stopped her descent into dramatics and looked extremely unimpressed with the way she was treating his desk.

"If you are done, Lady Potter, I would like to know how you will proceed with this contract. I will have to clarify to the both of you, as soon as you sign this contract you will legally be Husband and Wife. A copy of it will be sent to the Ministry to register the union. If you want to arrange a pre-nuptial, you will have to do it before signing the marriage contract. Lord Harrison also left a portrait to be able to witness the union and the consequent child born from this union. Do you have any questions?"

“Why are our names in the contract?” That bothered Reborn a bit. The names were specifically theirs. How could their ancestors know their names?

“This is Olde Magick placed on this contract. It self-updates. Names only appear in this type of contract if the people involved are an appropriate match according to Mother Magic. My guess is that there were only males in the families before you.” Bloodfang answered in a bored tone.

"I have another one," Lady Potter hesitantly raised her hand. Then she looked directly at Reborn. "What kind of magick do you possess?"

"I am under Omertà. If I disclose any information about us, I will be penalized with death by the Vindice," he informed instead.

"Oh, it's like our Statute of Secrecy, though we don't have any problems disclosing it to any person who is able to see our properties protected under wards as we see them as magical people too." And that just increased Reborn's questions. "Though your law is stricter than ours, is there a way to call this Vindice so we can explain our circumstances? I want to know just what kind of magick this contract refers to that you possess."

"They should be appearing by now seeing as Omertà is being under the possibility to be broken. They serve as warning too." Just as Reborn was done saying that, there was a knock on the door. An elderly goblin opened the door and spoke directly to Bloodfang.

"There are two gentlemen wanting to... speak with someone in this room. Apparently they were aware of where this person was." That last sentence gained a raised eyebrow from Bloodfang as the corridors in Gringotts were very hard to navigate and to directly do so without the aid of a goblin meant that this was a person from the Vindice. They were certainly an efficient bunch.

With a nod Bloodfang motioned for the other goblin to let them in.

And just when Reborn thought he was in an enough headache-inducing situation, the members of the Vindice that came through the door almost gave him a fright.


	3. So.... we married

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn gets to know a bit about the Wizarding World and Iolanthe about the Mafia World.  
> She hurls abuse at a portrait and they finally get married.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congrats to you who guessed the correct members of the Vindice who appear and sorry if the appearance is too short. They will appear more when Iolanthe is finally introduced to the Mafia officially. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> Edit: Just adding some words and editing others, don't mind it too much. :D (June 1st)

If anyone had told Iolanthe that she would be having a stare down with some bedraggled man covered in bandages and wearing tacky, vintage clothes, she would have laughed at their face and referred them to St. Mungo’s to be checked. But there she was, staring impassively to a man that hadn't seen a brush in decades, centuries maybe considering his choice in clothes. She wasn't one to speak with her bird's nest as hair and terrible fashion sense (bless Draco and his many times he accompanied her to buy clothes) but he was ridiculous.

And not to mention the toddler that appeared with him. He had the same Pacifier as Reborn, just that this one didn't have any color. The guy was under the same curse as her betrothed, that was obvious. What unnerved her a bit was all that wrapping around his face. Could he even breathe like that? (The top hat was very elegant on him though, it even had a fancy feather on it! Draco would be so jealous) Also, she knew what Draco meant when he couldn't believe Reborn was a man. As it was, she wasn't able to see the true form of this toddler like she could with Reborn.

And she wasn't one to keep her curiosity away.

"Alright, before we begin with this Omertà thing. Can anyone tell me why I am able to see Mr. Reborn's true form but I can't do it with... Mr. von Veckenschtein, was it?" She got a nod from the toddler and a considering look from the man, Jager his name was.

"I can answer that," intercepted Bloodfang. "Seeing the nature of this marriage contract, the moment you were born, you were betrothed to Mr. Sinclair here," he ignored Reborn's complain to not being called like that and continued. "So, any form of disguise, be it by human hands, a Glamour or in this case, a curse, will be cancelled so you would both know the true form of your future spouse. That is something common in betrothal arrangements to prevent being deceived in any way from getting what is promised. For example, if Mr. Sinclair demanded for proof that you are fertile enough to carry his child or a virgin then any document presented to him would show only true information without any alterations. Of course, the tests done either here in the bank or in St. Mungo’s are hard to be altered but that is just a measure to avoid any clever witch or wizard able to do it."

Iolanthe was in the process of poking through Reborn's true form while Bloodfang had been explaining and marveling at how her hand went through him as if he was a ghost. No matter how almost solid he looked, her hand touched nothing, instead she was able to firmly and without any issue take off the fedora from his small head and card her fingers through the deceivingly soft hair -even if it was unruly like hers. She quietly retracted her hand and gave the fedora back to him.

"Ok, thanks for that." She cleared her throat embarrassed by Bloodfang’s example. Her name was in the bloody contract! It was proof enough that she was still untouched! She composed herself and turned to the Vindice men. "As you may have deduced, we are facing imminent marriage due to our ancestors dilly-dallying and ruining people's lives. If we ignore it, we will be stripped away of our magicks and that is not something I want. Now, the real reason you are here is because I want to know what type of magick you have, just to know what I'm dealing with. We can make this an exchange of information if you want to."

"Our laws and culture are not meant for a civilian like you." The man, Jager, answered with a bit of a condescending voice.

If this was Iolanthe in the past she would have accepted it and sulked like a three-year-old that was denied some candy. But she was a different Iolanthe now. Draco's haughtiness was contagious and with her being reprimanded by him constantly that she should act like the Lady of the three Houses she is, and not like some uncouth swine that knows nothing of the world she is living in and lets everybody walk over her, well, the result was that she wasn't afraid to get what she wants by whatever method.

She was tired of being looked down by others now. She had enough of that during primary school and Hogwarts. She was not some naïve child anymore who was only told to have her head down and endure. And certainly she was no snotty kid to not be taken seriously by a pair of men who thought they were oh so mighty yet she could kill with two words, not that she would do it but the fact stayed.

If she had the choice she would never even involve herself in all this farce! She had many more important things to do, thank you very much! And talking to people wearing clothes even older than Godric Gryffindor himself was not one of them! For all Draco instilled in her mind that she needed poise and a few well-placed words to deal with the rabble, her brash personality still stayed, because nobody would demean her authority as Lady Potter, Regent Lady Black and Duchess Peverell!

"For Fuck's sake! Tell that shit to some poor bastard who hasn't been fighting to live another day since they were eleven! Hasn't fought and won a war! Hasn't vanquished some deluded, hypocritical psycho of a Dark Lord with airs of grandeur! Hasn't been pursued by ass-kissing Dark Wizards! Hasn't been tortured by said Wizards! Hasn't died saving a community of ignorant fools that bury their heads in the sand when the slightest sign of problem arises and hasn't come back to life to finish what they have begun! Now, off with your information or you will regret having opposed this woman!"

...

Reborn had never seen the Vindice that cowered before. In the Mafia World, they were the most feared entity and any member from any Famiglia do their best to avoid being under the scrutiny of such an intimidating group. Even he didn't dare oppose them no matter how strong he was. But there they were, shying away from a woman that looked like she couldn't hurt a fly and just a couple of minutes before was making the most hilarious expressions in the world.

He was already on edge at seeing a toddler similar to him in the Vindice making his thoughts run a mile but it was all forgotten when he witnessed Lady Potter's outburts.

There was something about this Lady Potter that put him on edge too -no matter that her hand running through his hair was very welcomed. It was not her... Magic, because it seemed she was a Witch. No, it was something he had felt before. Just the once with that lackey, Skull, right before they became Arcobalenos. The way he looked at Luce. It was cold, unforgiving and promised a lot of pain together with a slow death. Lady Potter had it too but it was pitiful compared to what he felt from the lackey.

Perhaps it was because she was just annoyed and he shuddered to think what it would be like if she was truly angered.

But the presence! The pressure and commanding voice! THIS is what he wanted his stupid student to become! Someone with strength that was hidden, coiled but ready to strike with deadly force, with the attitude of someone who wouldn't take shit from anybody, with the sharp, cunning eyes that could see even the dirtiest secret from a person. If Lady Potter were a Sky, he would be begging her to take him as her Sun, fighting tooth and nail just to be near her. Pride be damned, even a single glance from her would be enough.

_I think I fell in love_

And oh, wasn't that a terrifying thought? Right, better forget about it.

The next hour and a half was the most headache-inducing moment he has had in his life. The sheer amount of information that was dumped as if it was candy left Reborn stunned. He didn't even know when a tea cup had appeared in his hand, even the goblin was having some sort of drink in a silver goblet!

Apparently his Wife-to-be was not only famous in the Wizarding World -yes, that one deserved the capital letters, too- but was the savior of the British community, was revered to high and beyond because she defeated the worst Dark Lord in history and lived to tell the tale. Everybody and their dog knew about the Girl-Who-Lived and Woman-Who-Conquered. She was practically a legend and considered the most powerful witch of her age. That is without taking into account the titles she received after she became an adult at 17.

Having inherited the title of Lady Potter from her Father, Regent Lady Black from her Godfather and Duchess Peverell from her ancestry line, she became the most sought after witch in society. Betrothal contracts were being sent to her almost everyday and it was pure irony that the honor to become Lord Potter, Lord Black and Duke Peverell would end in the hands of an outsider, someone not even magical or even with high recognitions and prestige like many others proposing her.

Reborn was loving this type of Chaos. He wanted to see the faces of everybody when the news that Lady Potter was marrying a simple Mr. Sinclair came out.

There was also the fact of a hidden community he should have been aware of. And it was not only in Great Britain; most Europe, North and South America, even Japan had a community of witches and wizards living right in front of his nose that he couldn't decide if it was incredible or disturbing. The communities were not that large, per se, but they were still there. He felt so stupid thinking that the Mafia World was the only hidden community in the world. How naïve he was! He hadn’t felt like that for years.

There were schools for witches and wizards. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in Britain, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France, Durmstrang Institute in the North of Europe, Mahoutokoro School of Magic in Japan, Castelobruxo in the Amazons, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the States, Uagadou School of Magic in Africa, Koldovstoretz School in Russia, to name a few. All under heavy wards so people with no magic would not be able to discover them.

Then there was the shopping districts, just Britain had Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley, Horizont Alley, Vertic Alley and the new Perpendicular Alley (he wasn’t sure if the names were brilliant or just silly); also, whole Manors not visible in cameras, satellites and even the naked eye. Take Grimmauld Place for example, he still was unsure how he was able to find it. Lady Potter confirmed that there was also a Potter cottage and Ancestral Home that were not visible to others, the Blacks had many houses in Europe and she even mentioned that there was a still not found castle from the Peverells. A castle!

There were even Dragon reserves (“my friend Charlie is working in the one located in Romania”) and of course Quidditch Stadiums (“oh Merlin! Viktor has invited me to see him play and I always forget to do so!”) not accessible to people who had no magic.

Oh, and their own police force called Aurors. Law enforcement was not something Reborn was that enthused to know about so he didn’t pay much attention to that part.

This Wizarding World was bigger than the Mafia World, he accepted that. It was more than a country inside a country. It wasn't about whole new species of creatures like Dragons, goblins that worked as bankers and strange creatures serving tea, it wasn't about people who wore robes and used wands as weapons, it wasn't about the differences in status quo -because there was always that. It was so much more than that and he had the feeling he was just seeing the tip of the iceberg.

...

Iolanthe was reeling with everything that was being said by Mr. Jager. She now had an understanding as to why their laws were even more severe than the Wizarding World. They were talking about the Mafia. The Real Mafia! Well, she didn’t know what a fake Mafia was but she had an inkling about this world after watching that muggle movie The Godfather that portrayed the subject that was the political dancing between the Mafiosi and their lifestyle but this was totally different!

For one, they had this energy called Dying Will Flames, activated mostly after going through something so dangerous it might threaten your life and your will to live was at its highest. They were divided mainly into Sun Flames, Rain Flames, Lightning Flames, Cloud Flames, Storm Flames, Mist Flames and the rarest Sky Flames. Basically, all the other Flames’ major goal in their lives was to look for a Sky and Harmonize with them. They could still live without a Sky but they would always feel as if they were missing something.

There were other varieties of Flames but they didn't bother to explain about them. For the time being she was satisfied with what little information she was provided of these Flames. She still had her Husband-to-be to squeeze for more details in the future and perhaps experiment a little.

Next and just as she thought, the Mafia World was full of assassins and criminals. There was even a school for the kids of the Mafiosi to learn their ways to then dump them to the unruly world to either swim or drown. It was a bit cruel in her opinion but her life was not full of roses either so she had nothing to compare it with. What she feared for were her future children if they ever activated these Flames (and since when she was planning to have children?).

The Mafia World was comprised of lesser Famiglias and big Famiglias, though they were all controlled by the most prominent Famiglia that were the Vongola, which was divided into the CEDEF and the Varia; they again didn’t want to elaborate more about them. Though, they did mention that everything that had to do with Omertà fell into the hands of the Vindice. Not even the mighty Vongola could escape from a death penalty if it was broken, that's how important Omertà was for them.

(Maybe they should implement that in the Wizarding World but she was sure she would get scorned to suggest such an extreme law.)

What she could manage to squeeze from Mr. Jager about the Vindice was that they were founded even before the Mafia World itself was even created (by some Giotto) and they had very few members. They believed that even older than them was the Arcobaleno curse. This peaked her interest but they refused to provide more information about it.

Iolanthe also learned that her Husband-to-be was the strongest Hitman in the Mafia World -the way he puffed in pride at the mention of it was endearing- but that after being subjected to the Arcobaleno curse he took less and less missions to finally end up as a tutor -and he went back to his gloomy mood of doom when THAT was mentioned. At the moment, he was teaching the Cavallone Heir to become a Mafia Boss or at least was trying seeing as Reborn looked so disgruntled and mumbled something that sounded like 'stupid-Dino' and 'can't believe he's a Sky'.

Finally, the Vindice asked to look at the marriage contract to discern if the arrangement endangered Omertà and their world (she was surprised these people were well-learned and knew lots of other languages that she felt ashamed of her half-assed Turkish and Japanese). After they were done, they just looked between Reborn and Iolanthe with a look she couldn't comprehend and demanded for a pre-nuptial that stated she wasn't able to disclose any information about the Mafia World in any way to anybody.

What came next was a discussion that was more like haggling in the market just to set up that pre-nuptial.

In the end, they decided that she would be able to enter the Mafia World only if Reborn agreed and accompanied her. That she would serve as their go-between their worlds seeing as she would be the first magical to marry someone from the Mafia (for what purpose? She didn't know yet). That any child they procreated would be introduced to the Mafia World if they activated their Flames (and learn their criminal ways was implicitly said; good thing she didn’t become an Auror). And last, that Iolanthe and Reborn would control their own assets unless one asked the other for help (that one was enforced by Bloodfang).

After they signed the pre-nuptial (because at that point they had already accepted their fate as neither wanted to lose their Magic or Flames), Iolanthe asked Bloodfang to bring the portrait of Lord Harrison Potter so he could witness the bonding between Iolanthe and Reborn while the Vindice left seeing as their duties were over. 

...

“What do you think?” In a dark alleyway, man and toddler were walking; the cats in the alleyway ran away from them the moment they saw the strange pair.

“Too dangerous.” A muffled yet childish voice replied.

“Too stupid too.” The rough voice interjected.

“Not this one,” the childish voice reminded, then paused and slowly said. “We need more information.”

“It’s been a while since we went hunting.” An eerie chuckle sounded in the alleyway until it disappeared together with the pair.

…

Reborn watched with amusement as Iolanthe -better call her by her name since they were really getting married- verbally hurled abuse to Lord Harrison Potter. He would be doing the same if he had the chance with his own ancestor but it seemed only magicals were able to create this type of portrait. Or at least back then only magical people could have this type of portrait; he had confidence Iolanthe could pull it off to make one for him. She looked smart and that she did well at school.

"...I became an orphan when I was one, you twit!..."

He was also getting more information, personal information from his Wife -or better yet get used to her official title in their future relationship, liked it or not, they would be married as soon as Lady Potter was done with the portrait after all. He never thought his marriage would be decided like this, if anything he never wanted to get married or even have children. At least his Wife was a looker and he could work with her to achieve at least an amicable marriage. She would be the Mother of his children… Oh, God, what was he getting into?

"...What responsibilities as a Lady! At 17 I was trying to survive a war! I had no time to pander with the spineless bastards that call themselves politicians!..."

His Wife was a fighter for sure, so it was a given that he wouldn't need to have her with him 24/7 to protect her. He also had the feeling that she wouldn't let him protect her. Being an orphan made her independent from a very young age and even a war molded her to become what she was. A self-sufficient, proud and strong woman. If she was a bit paranoid then he wouldn't blame her, it might even help when raising their children (yes, he was making peace with that fact). He wouldn’t try to change her in the least. That she could provide infinite amount of Chaos due to her nature was left unsaid but still present in his mind.

“…No, you don’t get to tell me how crass I am! You fucking old man that only knows how to meddle in other people’s life! Be grateful I cannot bring you to life so I can kill you myself for this stunt!...”

The fact that she could take care of herself was reassuring. That nobody dared to go after Reborn didn't mean they would give the same courtesy for his future family.

"Let's get this over with, I am getting hungry," Lady Potter said with a huff glancing at Reborn.

He took a look at the severely offended Harrison Potter and hid a smile, he nodded at his Wife and then they were given a black quill for them to sign the contract. Lady Potter gave the quill the evil eye and quickly signed where her name was. Reborn eyed the quill curiously after he noticed how she subtly rubbed the back of her left hand. His own left hand tensed when he felt it burning and watched in fascination as his name was barely visible on his skin.

He was given two rings that weren't meant for little fingers but was impressed by the detailed crests inlaid in the gems in the rings. The Potter Ring was a golden band with a huge ruby, the crest was that of antlers circling two crossed sticks -wands. It was a simple crest and the words engraved around the band were very curious. _Eskhatos ekhthros katargeitai o Thanatos._ If he wasn’t wrong that was Greek for ‘The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death’.

The Black Ring was made of silver with an obsidian. The crest inlaid in the obsidian was of a raven flying above a very elaborate B and stars around it. The words _Toujours Pur_ were engraved around the gem. French for ‘Always Pure’; there was some sort of message in these mottos and he was eager to ask what the story behind them is. The Peverell family had only one ring which sat in his Wife’s right thumb; a tungsten wide band that encased an equally big stone in which he barely discerned a simple symbol of a triangle with a circle in the middle and a line bisecting both. There was no motto and the ring was recently made, it looked so ordinary and inconspicuous that he thought that was the purpose.

He got the underlying message that he wasn’t supposed to ask about that ring so he just went to his task of putting his rings on. He watched amazed as said rings shrank in size to fit his fingers, even the House crests that now identified him as Lord Potter and Lord Black were too small too see them clearly.

Just when he thought it was all over, a throat was cleared. He glanced at the portrait that was now looking smug and immediately requested, “You also need to pledge a vow for the marriage to truly take effect.” Oh the venomous glare his newly minted Wife sent him was pure evil. The man in the portrait visibly shrank but he still stubbornly looked back at her.

“What do you mean?” She asked with gritted teeth.

“We knew that this contract would create trouble to our descendants so we decided that the final step for this marriage was for you to make a magical vow so you would at least make an effort in this union…” The man’s voice wilted when he noticed the murderous expression on his descendant’s face. Reborn inwardly cackled. He was having so much fun!

Iolanthe fumed for a couple of seconds more before sighing and deflating. “Alright. We will have to continue bothering you Bloodfang,” the goblin just gave her a dismissive glance and continued arranging his papers. “Right, stand up Reborn and step in front of me. Now, a magical vow is a bit tricky because Mother Magic herself judges the truth in your words. Try not to leave loopholes in your vow. If you do, it will not be accepted and you will suffer the consequences. This is a marriage vow so there is no predetermined sample, just you and your sincerity. You understand?” He nodded with a healthy amount of trepidation. “Alright, sorry I have to do this but it’s for convenience.”

He looked confused for a split second by her sudden apology but was clued in when he saw her kneel in front of him. It was convenient but his heart soured.

“Now, I will go first so you have an idea of what to do and say.” She cleared her throat to dispel the nervousness he could catch in her voice. “I, Iolanthe Jamie Potter-Black-Peverell, vow to my Husband, Renato Sinclair to respect him as a person, a partner, and an equal, to support him in his decisions, to trust him in his actions, to devote my life to him as he will be the one that I will depend on, learn from and grow with. I promise to laugh with him in good times and struggle alongside him in bad times. If… If I fall in love with him, I promise to do so unconditionally and without hesitation. Let us create a home filled with learning, laughter, and light, shared freely with all who may live there. May we have many adventures and grow old together. So I said, so mote it be.”

Throughout her words, she stubbornly kept her eyes locked with his so he noticed the fear, determination and sincerity in them. He was taken by surprise by the rising power emanating from her and how it peaked when her palms were slashed all of a sudden and finished her vow by placing her left palm up and her right one palm down. He had an inkling what he had to do at the end of his but first, he arranged his convoluted thoughts, stood as straight as his tiny body let him and spoke,

“I, Renato Sinclair, vow to my Wife, Iolanthe Jamie Potter-Black-Peverell to be a friend and partner in marriage, to talk and to listen, to trust and to appreciate, to respect, to learn from her, to support her and accept her support. I will celebrate her triumphs and mourn her losses as though they were my own. If I fall in love with her… I promise that what I possess in this world, I will give to her. I will keep her and hold her, comfort and tend her, protect and shelter her, for all the days of my life. I will strive to build a home that is full of respect and honor, filled with peace, happiness, and… love. So I said, so mote it be.”

His Flames automatically erupted and enveloped them both. He ignored her gasp when his Flames gently touched her magic just as he hoped she ignored his trembling voice. He admitted he was afraid of this vow, they both were, but his words were not less sincere than hers. He fitted his magically slit palms with hers and let the vow take place. He watched how a little part of his Flames settled in her just like how a part of her magic settled in him.

And he was right. If Iolanthe had Flames, they would have been Sky Flames though her magic was much, much better. Her magic had the fierceness of a Storm, the tranquility of a Rain, the warmth of a Sun, the protection of a Lightning, the possessiveness of a Cloud, the cunningness of a Mist and the acceptance of a Sky. He felt that after this, the niggling sensation that he missed something would disappear.

And for that, he was grateful.

"Congratulations on your marriage, Lord and Lady Potter,” the snarly voice of Bloodfang broke the moment they had created for themselves without mercy. “A copy of the contract will be sent to the Ministry and you will receive an owl confirming they are aware of your new marital status. As you can guess, the press will also be in the know by that time, so proceed however you like." Said Bloodfang without an ounce of joy. "I expect good news soon." And the schadenfreude face was back. Damn goblins.

Iolanthe refused taking Lord Harrison Potter’s portrait back with her no matter how much the deceased man protested. She asked for the portfolios with the inventory made for each of her -their- Houses and bid Bloodfang farewell. Another goblin took them to the front of the bank and as soon as they were out Iolanthe whisked them away, Disapparating.

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thumbs up for you if you got the glaring hint about who is part of a Magical Family being in the Mafia :D


	4. My in-law the portrait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn meets Sirius. Sirius being... not serious... ok, he is just concerned and goes a bit Black.  
> The Arcobaleno curse is discussed.  
> Reborn is basically pms-ing the whole chapter with the range of emotions.   
> The door is knocked... dun-dun-duuunn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One small thing about the discussion about the Arcobaleno Curse that takes place in this chapter: all these are conjectures from the perspectives of the very Magicals Iolanthe and Draco... they might know the truth about it in the future or might not. 
> 
> For now, they are just thinking what to do about it so Iolanthe could go at it like a bunny with Reborn to procreate :D

Reborn retracted his words. THAT was the worst way a human can travel. No matter how short, but the feeling of being squeezed to the point you couldn't breath was not pleasant and he never wanted to go through it again. After composing himself, subtly and quickly scanning the room he was in -the same parlour from before- for any type of threat and glaring at Iolanthe’s back for unceremoniously manhandling him in that way, he followed her.

They went up the stairs to what he assumed was the third floor, then to the right of the hallway and the first door on their right where she muttered something he wasn't able to catch because he was busier staring at everything. He deduced that the whole house possessed the same color pattern of beige walls and the dark mahogany wooden floor, tall windows with their burgundy curtains, peculiar moving pictures of landscapes and animals, and old but elegant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

The room she took him to was an office or study that contained a huge deep red mahogany desk with its high back chair, several shelves containing books of different sizes, a hearth that was more for warming the place than travelling like the one in the parlour if the two armchairs and low table around it were considered. There was a cabinet that he was sure contained liquor, he had seen a similar one in Nono's study.

_It seemed my dear Wife has a taste for alcohol too._

His perusing of the study was halted by her voice.

"I am back, Sirius!"

He was on guard half a second later and cursing himself for being careless. He may not have been the only one that noted that bit of a loophole in the contract. It didn't mention anything about killing your own spouse after getting married, he was sure the Vindice noticed that too and maybe they more than expected him to finish her off even before they could kiss each other. There were many things Reborn tolerated -not- and being forced into something was not one.

It was why he couldn't forgive Luce for what she did to them, to him.

This Lady Potter lured him into a false sense of security honeyed by her pretty voice and approachable attitude to deal with him silently in the confines of her house and hide the body. Nobody would know that a witch that looked like your normal British citizen had killed her Husband in her own house. But he would not come down without a fight!

Just as he was eyeing all the escaping routes in the room, another voice sounded in the room and he couldn't help glancing. He glanced up, up, up, to the meter-tall portrait of a man with shaggy hair, a sallow face, haunted eyes, a trimmed goatee and elegant clothes.

(He felt ashamed of himself and his reaction but nobody could blame him! After all, habits die hard!)

"Welcome back, Bambi!"

Immediately after seeing Iolanthe, the man in the portrait's demeanor changed. It seemed as if he had gained life. His eyes sparkled and a roguish smile perched on his mouth. He still looked ill but that was all set aside when he talked to Iolanthe.

"This is Sirius Black, my Godfather," she presented the man to Reborn and that put him more at ease. He couldn't get killed by a portrait, right? "He is the reason I became Regent Lady Black. Sirius this is Renato Sinclair but call him Reborn." Reborn was about to protest about the usage of his name, but when he heard the rest, he shut his mouth with a click. "He is my Husband."

"WHAT?!" Well, it seemed even portraits could be loud and gape like fish. "YOUR HUSBAND?!" Then Sirius Black descended into a rant about how little Iolanthe couldn't have married, that he had prohibited it in his mind, that he wouldn't accept any man near his 'Pup', that James was going to kill him even when he was already dead, that Lily would be ecstatic, that Remus was going to go all werewolf on him for letting little Iolanthe get snatched by a man...

Meanwhile, Iolanthe ignored her Godfather more than used to this type of episode by the looks of it and called for the shriveled creature he now knew was a house-elf asking him to call for Draco and then bring breakfast for three after she asked Reborn if he would like to eat receiving a nod from him.

"Don't ignore me, Iolanthe!" Sirius stopped his rant and looked at Lady Potter in disbelief.

"Just come down, I'm waiting for Draco so I just have to explain all this once." She placed a small photo frame on the table and Reborn saw with amazement how the man moved from one frame to the other without any difficulty. Though the hitman could have done without the evil glare from the man in the picture who was eyeing him from head to toe.

The food arrived before Draco, who entered without any preambles and a quick glance around had him sitting on one of the armchairs without saying a word to then begin serving himself a cup of tea. Lady Potter herself sat on the other armchair and Reborn shrugged uncaringly before climbing onto his Wife's lap and got comfortable taking his fedora off. That got him a raised eyebrow from Draco and he swore he heard Sirius Black growl from his photo frame.

After a pause, Iolanthe leaned to get herself a cup of tea and some food, pressing her soft bosom on the back his head; Reborn ignored the sound like a wounded animal from the small frame and waited for her to start explaining.

"Alright, so I went to the bank and got married with Reborn here-"

_Spurt!_

"I'm sorry for that," said Draco dabbing a handkerchief on his mouth to clean the tea he had just spit. "Did you just say you got married?"

"That's right," Lady Potter answered without even looking up to him and handed a cup of tea to Reborn, who hummed in appreciation. She apparently learned how to make his tea just from watching him once. "The marriage contract was very tight, not even killing the other would help, that would be neglecting it according to terms." _So she noticed too,_ Reborn thought. His respect for her increased by a fold. He quietly thanked her for the sandwich she prepared for him. "It was either getting married or losing our magicks. We chose to get married. I just need to have a baby with him before I turn 21 and then we will not be under the threat of losing our magicks anymore."

_Spurt!_

"A baby?" Sirius Black looked on the verge of fainting. If paintings were able to faint.

Draco coughed, "You turn 21 next July, you have less than a year for that and with your Husband looking like that..." he trailed off after glancing at Reborn.

Reborn himself was feeling a bit lost too. Less than a year to have a baby and he couldn't even get her pregnant stuck in this form. Hell, he even doubted his tiny body could even get aroused to at least donate the seed. He hadn't bothered trying since he didn't want to feel even more in the pit than he already was. 

"That's why we are here, to discuss how we can break the curse. You know what losing my magic means." She responded with a quiet voice while preparing another sandwich.

The room descended into a somber silence. Reborn quickly connected the dots and felt stupid for not thinking about it. Death. Actually, he was sure that losing his Flames would kill him too, well, the backlash of the curse would kill him due to not having Flames… Only after he thought of the consequences, he finally registered her words in his mind.

"What?" He asked faintly, turning to look straight at her.

She subconsciously began to run her fingers through her Husband’s hair and reassuringly smiled at him. "I want you to tell me everything you know about your curse and how you came about it."

...

Iolanthe was a bit disappointed by the minimal information Reborn had of the Arcobaleno curse yet she didn't blame him; with what little she knew of him thinking about his grand life of the Greatest Hitman in the world being reduced -figurative and literally- to the form of a toddler must have been quite an impact so the least he wanted was to think about the curse. She conformed with what he said about how he came about it.

The curse strictly had to involve 7 people, the seven strongest or better called the _I Prescelti Sette,_ (he had to limit his explanation due to Omertà, but she understood he was talking about the 7 with the strongest Flames: Sky, Storm, Cloud, Mist, Lightning, Rain and Sun) and they were all contacted by the same person, it seemed. Seven was a very magical number for Wizards so it was not surprising that other Magicks also used it. The missions made little sense but if the person wanted to make sure that they did have the seven strongest of each Flame to trap, then it was reasonable. Or maybe...

It was the last part that got her attention. It appeared the seven had detected that something was not right with the missions and wanted out but it was one of them that managed to convince them to finish what they had begun. If she wasn't wrong, it must have been their Sky. According to what she learnt from Mr. Jager back at the bank, all the other Flames revolved around their Sky to guide them and give them a home through something called Harmonization.

"Curse by betrayal?" Mused Draco after Reborn was done with his story. She felt how her Husband stiffened a bit and realized that Reborn really thought it as betrayal no matter if there was another reason behind the Sky's actions. 

"Not necessarily," she rejected. There was something more about this Ancient curse. She was no fool, she heard between lines and deduced the Vindice were former Arcobaleno that survived being syphoned of their Flames. The Pacifier around Mr. von Veckenschtein was a dead giveaway. "I suspect the missions were more than a trial for them."

"Oh?"

"The missions might have served as a conduct to mold their magick into the Pacifier. This Checker Face person visited you personally to present you with this mission right?" Reborn gave her a nod. "During that visit, I bet he got a sample of your magick into a Pacifier. Did you see him take it out when you met?"

"I did see him with a Pacifier, just that it was blank at that time." Reborn looked a little overwhelmed with the ideas beginning to surface and she easily started soothing him by playing with his hair. He had no idea how tensed he had been recounting what happened when they all fell under the Arcobaleno curse until she started playing with his hair.

"Hm, the Pacifier must have imprinted on your ambient magick when he took it out. Some objects need direct contact with the person but it seemed this Pacifier is sensitive to your type of magick. During your missions, you and your group constantly used your magick making the Pacifiers absorb more of it. But just doing so was not enough for the curse to take place." She trailed off, her eyes diverting to the hearth.

"So you mean..." Sirius couldn't help give Reborn a sympathetic look.

"Draco was not far off saying it was a Curse by Betrayal. They trusted this person and this person took them to where the curse would snap in place, most likely a ritual circle that contained the Pacifiers with their magicks in it." Her eyes went back to look at Reborn who didn't dare rise his head but she knew he was angry, tense, ready to bolt and more than anything, sad. "This person knew what would happen at the end of it all and didn't have any trouble in taking them to where their nightmare began."

Just when she thought Reborn was going to explode then and there, he suddenly deflated. He looked so defeated that she couldn't help embracing him. Her vows -and that ‘saving people’ thing of hers- were no joke and she was more than willing to offer what support he needed to face this. Back when their vows took place and after almost melting into a puddle of goo due to the warmth that invaded her body, she felt it. It was but a mere glimpse but just that was enough to leave her breathless.

To think that this man, owner of the warmest magick she had ever felt, her Husband, the one that had vowed to give her a family and a home was being suppressed by this curse; and not just suppressing but invading his body, subjugating his will and robbing him of his Flames… She could only tighten her hold on him and was glad he let her. For all she had been subdued by greater powers when she was younger, he was going through something much worse, had been going through it for years.

Both Sirius and Draco had the tact to give them their moment of privacy by occupying themselves with their own thoughts.

"This doesn't mean that this person truly betrayed you," she muttered in his hair, Reborn perked up at that. It seemed he was truly giving himself a chance to find some peace and let go of that episode in his life. "Tell me Draco, what would you do if you were aware that all this act was most than likely a trap?"

Draco took his time thinking about it and she let him. He chose him instead of Sirius to answer her question because as a Slytherin and a Malfoy he needed enough cunning and insight to survive the pit of snakes for seven years. It was truly the law of the jungle in there, eat or be eaten, politically speaking. A light flashed through Draco's eyes and she knew he finally caught her train of thought.

"I would still follow through it." His eyes bravely locked with Reborn's.

"Why?"

"Because the other option would be worse." He said with finality. Reborn inhaled in shock grasping the meaning of the sentence. And it seemed Sirius was a Black indeed when he also caught on it.

"This Checker Face would have killed you all if you suddenly retreated, so the person you trusted gave you more time to live, even if cursed, to try and think a way to break it if you wanted to or hoped you could survive it at the end."

"She told us all that it was our destiny and we couldn't have escaped it." Reborn said bitterly. "She was able to have visions and us becoming toddlers was what she saw."

Iolanthe chuckled wryly. "Visions are not that reliable but it seemed her visions were telling her that becoming toddlers were for the best. Probably Checker Face didn't want to deal with the consequences from an incomplete ritual and the only option for you to not avoid becoming Arcobalenos was to kill the source of the magick, in other words, you all." Iolanthe sighed. "She did betray your trust though. Perhaps if she had told you about it, then you would have discussed it. This is why I hate Divination." She grumbled.

Still, there was so much more about the curse. She felt it was not that simple but that was food for thought for later. If possible, she would look for this Checker Face person as all the answers were on them.

...

Reborn had never felt more at peace than at that moment. He still resented Luce for what she did but having a bit of understanding of her reasoning helped him to finally forgive his former Sky. Even if they didn't Harmonize completely, they all had considered Luce their Sky, that's why her actions hit them immensely hard that their connection with her crumbled and broke in a matter of seconds. Her Guardians abandoned her during their most trying moment but he didn’t regret it.

Not even the others regretted having left. Luce, for all that he liked her as a person, was a horrible Sky.

On the other hand, he had never felt more gratitude towards someone than he did for his Wife. And she had truly earned the right for him to call her Wife even if there were not any feelings of love involved. The surety of her words, the firmness of her actions and the mischievousness behind some of them, gave him such a sense of safety that he truly grieved her not being a Sky. He supposed he had to thank his ancestor for arranging that contract so he was able to meet such an amazing woman.

"So, what does this have to do with trying to break his curse?" Sirius Black broke their contemplative silence and Reborn didn't miss the look his Wife sent her Godfather, as if she couldn't believe he had asked that. She huffed.

"Before going head on and try breaking a curse like an amateur dunderhead, you need to comprehend the source of it, how it works, how it was applied and why it was applied. We needed the background information to narrow down the possibilities in breaking it. I would need to research and find other similar curses to compare." Black had the decency to look embarrassed being scolded by his Goddaughter.

"As Dark as the Black Family is, I don't think you would be able to find any book in their Library that explains curses that syphons magic. It is taboo even for Purebloods." Draco drawled. Reborn felt a pair of hands lifting him and placing him on the armchair. Instead of feeling like a kid with the action, he couldn’t forget how her fingers touched him and maybe he imagined it but they lingered for a split second.

He turned to look at his Wife and marveled when she swished her wand at the shelves and these parted revealing another shelf with even more books, another wand in a pedestal placed at the top of it and other knickknacks that looked rather creepy. He eyed the slender finger that trailed along the spines of the books and he shuddered, his mind providing him with images that had no place at that moment. She took out a well-worn book and the bookshelves went back to place. She leafed through the pages and when she found what she was looking for, she placed the book on the table.

Draco grabbed the book, read the contents of the pages and his eyebrows almost disappeared in his hairline. That’s how surprised he was.

“Are you going to tell me why you have a book with this type of foul magic?” The blondie even looked mildly disgusted by the book when he placed it back. Reborn took his chance to read it and he was unexpectedly greeted by Turkish words on the left page with the corresponding translation on the right page as he perused in amazement how it spoke about transferring magicks. This was considered foul?

“You remember that time I apprenticed under than Turkish Dark Magus?” She asked instead and both Black and Draco nodded, the first a bit disturbed and the second curious. Oh, a conflict of views here. Which begged the question: what does his Wife do for a living? “Well, the man was a Healer at first but his dabbing into the Dark Arts was too deep even for the loose laws about it in Turkey that he was revoked of his Healer license and he is now spending his time unraveling the Dark Arts. Anyway, we once were talking about Horcruxes and then we went into a discussion and experimentation of them.”

Both Black and Draco looked at Iolanthe in horror and Reborn guessed this Horcrux thing was even fouler than the Dark Arts as a whole. Reborn had never once felt so underinformed so he had to look for a way to know more about the subjects Magicals knew about.

“You didn’t make one, right?” Black was ready to keel it, if that was even possible.

Iolanthe looked at her Godfather affronted, “Of course not!” but then that morphed into a sheepish expression. “I may have kept the Slytherin Locket after destroying the Horcrux in it and used it in our experiments.” The men looked so unimpressed at her that Reborn had a hard time suppressing his laugh. “What? It is an important piece of History! Who else can brag that they have a relic from one of the Hogwarts' founders? And it’s even Salazar Slytherin’s!” She sniffed. “I couldn’t keep Godric Gryffindor’s sword, so I had to conform with the locket as Rowena’s diadem was destroyed and I lost Helga’s cup.” And then grumbled with a saddened face. Black and Draco let the matter drop for the sake of their sanity.

“Right, then, this is the result of your experimentation?” Draco asked going back to his drawl.

“One of many, actually. Half the book is about Horcruxes, how to identify them, what to expect when exposed to them, how to destroy them, among other things; but this one ritual may help us to break, if not isolate it to another object. This result was what moved me more than the others and wished to have known it way before, but well, at least I can use it for another purpose.” The sympathetic looks she received peaked Reborn interest and deduced there is a story behind this all.

“So, you have an idea of what you want to do?” Draco timely changed the topic.

“It is a start,” she confirmed with a nod. "Also I was hoping your family had something we could use in your Library," His Wife sheepishly added and that earned her another unimpressed look from Draco.

"We can peruse and see what we can find," the blonde relented.

"Great!" She chirped.

“But don’t expect much, half the Library was confiscated by the Ministry and I was left with what we could hide outside the house.” Draco reminded Iolanthe with a tight expression.

“That’s ok. I appreciate whatever help I might get from it,” Iolanthe leaned forward to gently pat Draco’s hand that was tightly gripping the armrest. She got a little smile for her effort. "Oh, by the way Reborn, are you staying here in the house or do you have-"

She was interrupted by the rather loud knock at the door.

Reborn had guessed that the knocker at the front door was really strange but he never thought that when one used it, the sound would travel through the whole house. Was that even possible?. Well, one mystery less regarding the house, now the question was: who was at the door? Because by the look on his Wife's face, she really wasn't expecting anybody to be knocking at the door. Or more like, nobody truly knocked at the door and two people using it that day was extremely weird.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first wrote this chapter I felt Reborn's disposition towards Iolanthe changed rather quickly (It's still the same day in the fic just so you know) but when I knew the reason in future chapters it all made a bit of sense.
> 
> I will answer to any question of the person who is able to guess the reason :D


	5. Full House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Luna bringing with her an almost dead Dino Cavallone.  
> Reborn shows his student his place and he believes the future looks bright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I consulted the Wiki and I have no idea when exactly Dino gets his Bucking Horse nickname, so for now I will use the meaning of his last name in Italian. 
> 
> The title of this chapter means that from now on we have the main inhabitants of Grimmauld until the plot develops further. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!
> 
> Edit: Just adding or changing some words. Don't mind it too much :D

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, Luna, but weren’t you in Sweden?" Iolanthe never expected her good friend Luna Lovegood to appear at her doorstep. She also lived at Grimmauld after all, so she could directly Apparate in the House -Iolanthe had made sure that the Wards in the house allowed Luna and Draco to do that. To appear at the front door was a first. Even when Luna first appeared, she made it through the Floo -how she knew the Floo address, Iolanthe until now didn’t know but that was Luna for you.

"The expedition ended early. Those demonic winter foxes we were told about were just rabid foxes, so we only contacted the authorities about the issue to let the townspeople know. Many things brought me here from a forest I was in, actually," Luna replied in her dreamy voice. "The concentration of Exploding Snabberwitches in the house tells me that there is something to celebrate, so congratulations!" She cried out, wrapping her thin arms around a bemused Iolanthe who responded in kind.

"Thank you, I got married today so I guess I AM celebrating something." Iolanthe chuckled earning another effusive hug from Luna and apologies for not bringing a gift as it was all so sudden. "It's ok. It indeed was very sudden." She assured her blonde friend.

"Oh, there is also this matter about a Big Horse in the forest where I was chasing for a family of Forest Fairies that sing to enchant people and get them lost in the woods." Luna eyed the crumpled man Iolanthe hadn't noticed before. He looked as if a herd of hippogriffs danced on him, dragged him through the mud to finally leave him to die. He looked that miserable and probably dead. Surely Luna wasn't asking her to hide a corpse in her basement?

"Big Horse? That must be my student." Said Reborn, appearing out of nowhere to poke at the corpse/man, whatever it was. "Oi, Stupid-Dino, how long are you thinking of sleeping?" To Iolanthe's surprise, the man -thankfully not a corpse- twitched and moved his head to look at Reborn with the most pitiful face she had ever seen in her life.

"Re-Re..born..." And he was out.

Iolanthe sighed, whipped out her wand and levitated the half-dead man into the house and up towards one of the guest rooms. Luckily, she had aired the whole House the day before as soon as she came back.

As soon as she put the man on the bed, she chanted a diagnostic spell and raised an eyebrow when she read the results that were updating by the second. The man was severely dehydrated, spent days without a decent meal, got poisoned by both plants and animals, sprained his ankle, pulled many of his muscles, had a concussion and was probably hallucinating by the mix of poisons in his bloodstream… but he was on the mend. Or at least his physical ailments were on the mend.

She gave Reborn (who had followed considering this person was his student) a quick glance and went back to the results. It seemed that his Husband poking this man was all deliberate. The healing had begun just a couple of minutes ago, right when Reborn poked this young man at the front door, so it seemed Flames were doing a Healing job. Her dear Husband still had many things she wanted to know and this new development of his Flames was something she was more than eager to coax out of him.

"Kreacher," hearing the tell-tale pop of the house-elf, she didn’t let him grumbled his words and instantly commanded. "Bring me an Antidote to Common Poisons, Murtlap Essence, a Nutrition Potion, a Sleeping Draught and a jug of water, please." She read the self-updating diagnostic and noticed the sprained ankle and the pulled muscles had already healed and the concussion was receding. After Kreacher came back with the potions she asked for, she immediately pointed her wand towards the man on the bed. "Rennervate."

The man woke up with a startled gasp readily sitting up. She took advantage of it and made him swallow the Antidote, followed by a glass of water, then the Nutrition Potion, more water and laid him back to the bed. He looked a bit sick but that was normal, Potions were truly vile tasting and it was hard to get rid of the taste on your tongue. Without another thought, she vanished his ruined clothes with a non-verbal Evanesco and ignored the squeak from the more lucid man.

" _C-Cosa stai facendo?_ " He tried to cover himself but a look from Iolanthe made him abort his action. The young man was handsome, she admitted it, but she had just gotten married and more importantly, she was on Healer Mode so she couldn't care less about his exposed body in only his underwear.

She gently applied the Murtlap Essence on all the places that presented abrasions, while the man kept a close eye on where she was touching, she motioned for him to turn around and he immediately did so, no doubt noting the effect of the Essence.

"Drink more water," she ordered him while capping the container and watched as he greedily drank glass after glass. "Here, drink this," she passed over the Sleeping Draught and when he drank it all plus another glass of water to wash away the taste, she nodded satisfied. The diagnostic showed that now he was completely on the mend. With another nod she released the Diagnostic spell, set up a Monitoring Spell and said "Rest well."

" _Ch-_ " He wasn't able to ask anything when he slumped on the bed. Iolanthe covered him with the duvet and picking up a sulking Reborn (whatever the reason he was sulking for, she had no idea), they left the room.

...

Dino groggily woke up, he was feeling extremely weak but thankfully he wasn't as sore as he thought he would be. He cursed Reborn and his spartan ways in his mind.

Suddenly telling him that they were travelling to England, forcing him to fly a plane while the damned Hitman just sat back and watched amused as his student flailed and panicked trying to control the thing so they wouldn't crash. Then, throwing him like baggage into a forest without food, clothes, meds, nothing! Dino barely heard where he was supposed to meet Reborn before the plane disappeared from his view.

His nightmare began after that. He saw no end to the forest no matter how much he walked. He ate up some herbs and fungi that he was sure poisoned him. His dizziness and blurry sight were blatant hints. After that he didn't remember much. Perhaps running away from some wild animal, falling down a slope, hitting his head and losing consciousness. He was sure he met a fairy somewhere but that must have been him having hallucinations. He got lucky when he found berries to eat and water from a clean stream.

Yet he still was lost and days passed without him seeing the end to the forest. Salvation came from a girl he met while escaping another wild animal. He was not sure if he had imagined his encounter because he fainted after that. Next thing he knew, he was laying on the steps of a house with Reborn looking reproachingly at him. At that moment, he wanted to yell at him but his strength left him and he lost consciousness again.

Following that, he felt as if he was in a dream. A beautiful woman took care of him by giving him vile tasting stuff, though the water was appreciated. He was really embarrassed when she stripped him bare, no matter if he couldn't guess how she managed that in a second, but her fingers on his skin felt wonderful and whatever she applied on him made the soreness go away so he quietly complied to her instructions even if he had to drink another of those horrible things.

Awoken, he found himself laying on a soft bed in a quite nice room, still exhausted but better than how he was before that woman healed him. Just when he sat up, he heard the door opening and the same woman appeared. She was dressed in lovely robes that swept the floor, her curly dark hair was tied in a high ponytail but loose curls framed her face making her look very charming. The quirky round glasses couldn't hide the attractive face and those piercing green eyes.

"How are you feeling?" Her soothing voice took him out of his thoughts and noticed that she was speaking in English.

"I'm fine." He replied shyly with a hoarse voice. He heard her hum, then shoved a glass of water that he gulped down quickly and felt her hand touching his forehead.

"No fever, that's good. Do you know where you are?"

"England... I hope." She nodded and he let out a sigh of relief, at least he didn't end up in another place.

"I'll bring you something to eat, the bathroom is behind that door on the right. There are some clothes for you in that wardrobe over there for you to change into. If they don’t fit, let me know. I'll be back in a while."

He stupidly nodded and watched her leave. He couldn't help note the little sway on her hips thanks to the thin fabric of her robes and felt his cheeks heating at the sight. One second he was watching the alluring view of a woman’s rear disappearing behind a door, the next he was face-planting on the floor. He blinked bewildered and looked up to the bed to find the bane of his existence, the star in his nightmares, the devil incarnate.

"Reborn!"

Dino dragged himself away from the bed seeing his tutor had a blank face. And a blank face were not good news for him or anybody.

"Done staring Stupid-Dino?" The baby asked in a toneless voice and a chill ran down Dino's spine. He ran away and locked himself in the bathroom, blocking the door with a chair he found there. Luckily, his demon tutor didn't follow and with shaky legs decided to take a shower to clean the grime and sweat from his trek in the forest.

...

Reborn hmphed when he saw his stupid student run like the hounds were on his heels, the reaction giving him a tiny bit of satisfaction. The nerve he had to check out his Wife when he also was in the room! Though, more than anything he was irritated that Iolanthe had to dress like that even if it was for him, his Husband.

After she was done taking care of his stupid student earlier, she took him up to her chambers. They climbed up to the third floor, down the hallway on the left where she mentioned the Family room, the Sunroom, and one of the two doors to the library were -the other door being on the right side, in front of the study she took him to talk. Curiously, if you went up the main stairs, you would end up in the attic and not the fourth floor, or the Family chambers as they call it.

They had to go up some hidden stairs that were blocked by an inconspicuous painting at the end of the hallway which could only be opened by reciting a password, said password his Wife surprisingly hissed. That sent a chill down his spine for many more reasons other than being creepy. It wasn't a language he had heard before.

The hidden stairs were narrow and dark but there was lots of light at the end of them thanks to the tall window at the beginning of the corridor. There were two rooms on each side of the corridor and another one at the very end. Apparently, the one on the left was her Godfather's, the one on the right her Godfather's brother's and the last one the Master bedroom where she entered by giving yet another password that was the Black Family motto. _Toujours Pur._

What greeted him was a room completely different from the rest of the house, with its maroon walls and white oak wooden flooring that was covered in a beige carpet. The tall windows provided a reasonable amount of light to come in; plus, the glass doors that headed to a balcony where there was a lone chair, a small round table and many plants were also a nice addition to the really homey room.

On his left, there was a comfortable sitting area with an armchair, a loveseat and a low table around a hearth with tall bookshelves filled to the brim with books and some more knickknacks. There was a broom hanging above the mantelpiece that housed several frames with pictures of people he didn't know. Yet. On his right, there was a massive four-posted bed with its red and gold linens, an equally big dressing table and an adjoined wardrobe and another door that he guessed was the bathroom.

Reborn quietly made his way to the armchair and watched her fumble around the wardrobe that housed more clothes than it had the right to. Actually, he had noticed that all the rooms in the house were bigger and wouldn't exactly fit with the true dimensions of the house. He was smart enough to conclude this was the result of Magic, even if at first he compared it to what Mists could do.

"Earlier, I was going to ask if you were planning to stay or if you had other things to attend to." His Wife's voice asked from behind a screen that appeared out of nowhere. The rustle of fabrics told him that she was changing her clothes.

"Well, after receiving that letter, my only matter in England was to dispose of the person that knew my name and dared to do such tasteless prank." He primly responded. He surmised it was no good to keep secrets from his Wife. He learned that from the couple of lovers he had had in the past. More importantly, he didn't want his Wife go all shrew on him for something he kept from her.

But whatever he expected from his answer wasn't the inelegant snort and subsequent laugh. Reborn minutely bristled at her reaction but decided to give her the chance to explain.

"Sorry," she eventually said when she calmed down. "I will have you know that this house has wards upon wards that were placed by all the paranoid Blacks in the past. One of them is an Intention Ward; you would never have seen the house if you came with the purpose of hurting me or anyone living here. On the off chance that you were able to pass that ward but still harbored malicious intentions, then the  doorknocker would have dealt with you. It has a curse placed on it that would have messed with your mind and make your organs rot, leaving you dead on the doorstep without you even knowing you were dying and then my house-elf would have quietly disposed of your body."

Reborn was more than impressed. He definitely needed those wards in his apartment. Checker Face would have never been able to enter or even find it. He thought of asking her about those wards in the house but his thoughts halted when he took sight of his Wife.

If he ever had doubts that she wasn't beautiful enough to be his Wife, the sight in front of him insta-killed those doubts away. The white kimono-like robes in flowing silk that hugged her figure in all the right places and pooled at her feet made her look so elegant and ethereal that he had started to deeply hate his baby body again; otherwise he would already had put his paws on her, expertly stripped her off the robes and taken her to bed. Perhaps binding her to the bed with that violet silk sash and-

"Can you tie hair?" Her question took him out of his wild thoughts and focused on her figure that was now primly sat in front of the dressing table.

"What?" He so ineloquently asked.

"It's tradition in our Potter Family that the Husband has to tie the Wife's hair after they get married. If you are not able to, then brushing my hair is enough, though I have to warn you that my hair never stays in place." She explained with mirth in her voice. Though he could still listen the hint of embarrassment there. He understood that even if it was just brushing his Wife's hair, there was an air of intimacy in the action that made him pause for a second.

_This really is it._

He really got married. He had signed the contract, made the vow, gotten the rings, started calling Iolanthe his Wife but something as mundane as brushing and tying hair clued him that he was not a single man anymore and that he had responsibilities -other than providing a child- towards a woman. That there would be someone calling him Husband, that he had to stop other women from flirting with him because he was already taken, that he was brushing his shy Wife's hair and tying it as a Family tradition, that -he gulped- he was really looking forward to all this.

"Thanks," she replied in such a low voice that if he wasn't a trained Hitman, he wouldn't have caught it. What he clearly caught was the raging blush on her face before she got herself busy with tidying up the already organized dressing table in front of her and avoiding his eyes at all cost.

His mind clicked in the fact that she could actually see his true form and to her it wasn't solely a baby doing her hair but a man too, and many times her eyes had flitted to his real face, sneaking peeks through the mirror. His lips twitched in a semblance of a smile. He felt a surge of possessiveness towards his Wife that he didn't bother squash. True, there weren't any feelings of love but this woman was his and would be his for the rest of his life. Getting along with her was the least he could do.

"I am staying tonight but I have things to deal with tomorrow." He answered her very first question gently rubbing her shoulders making her wide eyes snap back to his. He just hoped that she wouldn’t see the baby but the man doing the action if not it would be totally awkward for the both of them.

"Huh?" She squeaked and blushed again when she heard her voice going too high-pitched. She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself. "Oh, alright, do you need me to prepare some clothes for you?"

"I have that covered, don't worry." He gave her his best handsome smirk and was rewarded with another furious blush when she saw it on his real face.

He had forgotten how expressive she was and he was going to have so much fun teasing her. As long as she paid more attention to his real form, then he wouldn’t have problems seducing her. It was nothing malicious or with some nefarious purpose like he had done several times in the past, neither it was shameless flirting with some random woman to get laid. He was trying to seduce his Wife, so it was valid in his book.

At most, she would fall in love with him, at worst she would laugh at his effort and decide they would just be friends. With children in the middle and no chance for a divorce.

“A-alright, I-I got it.” But with how she was responding to him, he was down the good path. She looked too innocent to pass up the chance to tease her that maybe he should tone it down a bit. The way she twiddle her fingers so cutely made him desist of that idea. Ah, how she made his ego soar. This was the beginning of a great relationship.

His eyes suddenly caught some movement and his body tensed seeing a snake, a very poisonous snake, making its way towards them. A reassuring hand on his head prevented him from moving but he still didn't let his guard drop right until his mind completely halted seeing the snake and his Wife communicating with each other in those sibilant hisses that made his hair rise. He had learned the language of bugs, which he used as spies. And there was this language he had with Leon that sounded a bit like what she used to talk with the snake but not quite like it.

As it was, he barely understood them talking something about having trapped a nosy animal making his stomach sink and he just knew that he was going to be in trouble. The snake slithered away when the conversation was done and he was left with his Wife that appeared totally different than the shy, pure woman from before. If anything, she looked so detached and poised that he subconsciously straightened his back.

"Selene told me that the chameleon they have been following since earlier in the morning when you came has finally been caught in a place he shouldn't have been. Care to explain about that?" His Wife's eyes were alighted in an unholy and mischievous way that he shivered but an unrepentant smile perched on his face. Oh yeah, it was going to be a beautiful relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I finished writing this chapter, I felt it so wrong but I desisted in re-writing it...
> 
> Maybe it's because in cannon, it was something alien to see Reborn flirting and with his baby body, that's why I had to explain that Iolanthe could see his real form instead of the baby one so it wouldn't be so awkward. Because let's accept it, we love Reborn but baby-flirty Reborn is just weird.... 
> 
> My whole fic has no meaning!! D:
> 
> Nah, just kidding, it just comes from me sympathizing with the Reborn in this fic that has a wife but can't do shit with her without making them both perverts xD


	6. What say you, Lord Potter?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to know a bit of Draco's thoughts about the situation.  
> A fight occurs.  
> And the newly minted Lord Potter knows nothing of his duties, so he has to learn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everybody for your support with this fic!   
> Writing this was just a whim of mine and wanted to share it, I am glad people like it :D I really enjoy reading your comments! 
> 
> There are some Pureblood Traditions here, not really fleshed out because I am too lazy to go creating rules but at least, I explain the why of some actions and gives me the excuse for people to do stuff in the name of Traditions! 
> 
> Please don't take the words of these traditions too seriously, they come from centuries of different ancient cultures, especially in Magical British Community's Pureblood Traditions that appear to favor a Patriarch line but not all are like that... That will be explained or mentioned when it appears but it's not that important as it's not the main plot here...
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Draco was leisurely reading the newest Potions magazine while drinking tea in the Drawing room. He constantly kept an eye on Luna Lovegood because from the moment she started living with them, everything went down to hell; he questioned his sanity, his life, the origin of the universe, the reason why he was still living in the house. And just, when had she come back? Why didn’t anybody tell him? Salazar, he needed Firewhiskey instead of tea right now.

He didn’t think Lovegood was bad or anything. He just thought that he didn’t need the level of madness both girls got into, at the same time, together.

 

Like that one time, when they finally decided to renovate the house, and Lovegood thought it was a good idea to test her theory that Doxies loved heat instead of cold (like everyone knew) and actually set them on fire together with the curtains and furniture in one of the guest rooms. No need to say that apart from killing them more efficiently than using Doxycide, they almost burned down the house to the ground. Iolanthe just laughed it off and patted Lovegood’s head like a good pet, meanwhile he was foaming at the mouth from the shock.

 

But he liked living in Number Twelve, he liked the friendship he had with Iolanthe and he grudgingly enjoyed Lovegood’s presence. It made everything livelier, weird, but livelier.

 

After the war, his world had fallen apart, the Malfoy name was dragged through the mud and he and his Family would have ended up serving a life sentence in Azkaban if it wasn’t for Iolanthe. He had to admit that he was surprised and so relieved that he cried when he was in the solitude of his cell before they were released. He never thought that the one person he had spent years tormenting would be the one that would save him from that hell.

 

All his friends had practically abandoned him to his luck. He was sure that Nott had died during the battle at Hogwarts, Pansy had conveniently escape through marriage with an old Bulgarian man, Zabini smartly went back to Italy during the Christmas Holidays in their Seventh Year and didn’t return. His other classmates had either left or died, he didn’t remember quite well, what with him trying to survive. The only person that remained by his side was his betrothed Astoria.

 

Her family dashed off to who knows where leaving her behind due to their marriage contract. They didn’t want to get involved with the Malfoy name anymore so she was basically sacrificed.

 

Iolanthe -blessed her soft heart- offered Astoria the other Black townhouse in Wales so the younger witch could live there. If he wasn’t wrong, both women had a discussion that ended up in Astoria renting the place cheap, considering the size of the house, while she still had to finish her education at Hogwarts.

 

That happened after Iolanthe accepted his Mother’s request and let her and his Father occupy the Black Cottage in Scotland. Iolanthe dismissed her action by reasoning that she probably would never use the place so it was fair that others lived there but he was sure there was something more going on between her and his Mother that he never dared ask afraid the questioning of her actions would displease her and she would renege on her decision of helping them. So he settled for thanking her.

 

He never thought they would become friends, if he was honest. After that first time she denied his offering of friendship, back when he was arrogant and naïve, and they walked different paths, he believed and was sure that they would never see eye to eye or even become best friends. Who would have thought that imposed months of self-study for eight N.E.W.T.s, constant fighting over the decoration of the house and being the voice of logic in her madness was the way to become her friend?

 

He was taken out of his reminiscing thoughts when he eyed the snake that was slithering towards him with a struggling animal in its hold. As the snake climbed up his armchair, he noticed the animal was a chameleon. He leaned away from the snake that got uncomfortably closer and its gaze watched him intently. He still didn’t understand why Iolanthe kept all those snakes she was gifted with when people discovered she was a Parselmouth. It was unsettling to live in a house together with dozens of snakes.

 

Though he wouldn’t deny they were useful for Potions ingredients.

 

“It wants you to take care of the Chameleon,” Lovegood suddenly said in her usual dreamy voice. He spotted her figure hunched over a trunk, no doubt trying to charm it just how Iolanthe taught them. It appeared Lovegood was preparing for another trip. But back to the matter at hand, he conjured an unbreakable glass jar, levitated the chameleon and capped the jar with a punctured lid. The snake, seeing its work done, left. Draco was intent on continue reading his magazine but Luna’s voice disrupted his plan. “Ah, such an interesting species!”

 

Indeed.

 

He agreed when he saw the chameleon transform from one shape to another in an attempt to escape its glass prison. But Draco was no Potions Apprentice for nothing and the jar was really sturdy.

 

“It looks like a normal chameleon but it is also composed of pure magick from its ability to shapeshift. Curiously, it can only transform into objects… Is it able to shift into other animals? Experimenting required…” Draco left Lovegood to her own devices seeing as she had entered into Magizoologist Mode; she even took out a notebook and a quill from who knows where. The woman was a hazard while studying her animals but as long as the chameleon stayed in the jar, he wasn’t worried.

 

He was about to resume reading when he was interrupted, yet again, but this time by the door opening, and in came Iolanthe and her new… Husband. He was having a bit of trouble thinking of the toddler as her Husband but he believed her when she said the man was cursed; if he focused enough, he was able to see the dark aura around the toddler. He didn’t hail from a Dark Family for nothing!

 

“One of your snakes abducted a chameleon, Iolanthe.” He informed his friend.

 

“So I’ve been told.” She responded with a smirk. Good, Draco nodded, he didn’t have to explain anything.

 

Iolanthe primly sat on the loveseat, her Husband following and sitting beside her. Draco inwardly nodded; she had come a long way from the wild and uncouth young witch he found, nurtured and helped to become the stunning and well-respected Lady of three Ancient Houses. She was still a bit rough around the edges and he despaired when she went back to her old ways. Luckily, it was only in the privacy of her home, yet out there, she was breathtaking to look at and a delight to hear that silver tongue of hers.

 

He felt like a very proud parent.

 

If only she would drop that maniac look whenever she was interested in something; like the one she was sporting now when her eyes stopped at the shapeshifting chameleon. He sighed. Still, he couldn’t blame her, neither her nor Lovegood, since all three of them shared the same look -to varying degrees- when they were studying their objects of passion.

 

Iolanthe’s claw grabbed the jar and gave its dweller a searching gaze. The poor animal became even more frantic after it saw Iolanthe’s Husband. _So, it’s like that,_ Draco thought. This was going to be interesting. He snuggled into the armchair and waited for the good show.

 

“What do you have, Luna dear?” Oh yeah, it was even worse when those two got into something together. Draco sent a pitying look towards the chameleon.

 

“Right, it seems to look like some sort of magical creature. I haven’t seen this species before but…” Hearing Lovegood’s analysis made Draco send a sympathetic look to Iolanthe’s Husband -Reborn, he recalled the man was named. “…it kind of reminds me that Horned-Chameleon that could spit acid, do you think we could…” The dreamy young woman continued for a couple of minutes spitting information and guesses about this new animal.

 

“Hm, we could,” Iolanthe mused. “Is it male or female?”

 

“Still unknown, it doesn’t seem to have a gender, but then again we thought that Hinkypunk was male and after feeding it a love potion, it extinguished and died.” Lovegood replied all serious and yes, he remembered that sad occurrence.

 

“That was you, Luna, Hinkypunks are only able to lure not be lured, it contradicted its existence. I think it might as well have committed suicide.” Iolanthe regarded the chameleon in a thoughtful manner. Draco suddenly feared for the animal.

 

“Should we freeze it to see if it can still change forms to prove if it’s truly a construction of Magic?” Lovegood went back to scribble on her notebook. Both Draco and Iolanthe noticed how Reborn stiffened with that suggestion and Iolanthe finally relented in her act.

 

“We’ll see, but first, dear Husband, please tell us about this pet of yours.” Oh, she was laying it thick if she wanted to rely on charm and batting eyelashes towards her new Husband and Draco applauded the man’s will when he didn’t fall for it, even the pitch in her voice was perfectly low and coquettish. If Draco wasn’t heavily dedicated to Astoria, he admitted he would have been wrapped around Iolanthe’s little finger ages ago.

 

“His name is Leon,” Draco took a sip on his tea to hide his smile. It was barely there, but he heard the man WAS affected. Something must have happened while they were away then. “He is a shapeshifting Chameleon and can transform into anything I want; he is also able to produce many kind of ammunition and can hold an infinite amount of things in his body…”

 

Reborn trailed off and watched in mild horror and fascination how Iolanthe and Luna started a new round of testing.

 

“Don’t worry,” Draco tried to reassure the cursed man, getting his attention. “They will poke and prod but seeing as, ah, Leon has an owner they will abstain from dissecting, though I suggest taking it away if you want your Chameleon to remain trauma-free; those two can’t be trusted with someone else’s pet.” Reborn took Draco’s word to heart because as soon as Leon looked at him wailing for help, he softly asked:

 

“Can I have him back?”

 

That certainly put a damp in the girls’ mood and Iolanthe reluctantly handed Leon back. Lovegood quietly made her way back to charming her trunk.

 

“So, why is it that Leon the Chameleon found himself in the basement?”

 

To Reborn’s credit, he calmly sat there under Iolanthe’s inquisitive gaze and even had the nerve to look completely innocent while saying, “He was gathering information.” They both held their gazes for what looked like minutes and appeared to be having a silent conversation, or Iolanthe was just indiscriminately reading his thoughts through Legilimency if Reborn’s tensed shoulders were anything to go by. Whatever Iolanthe found appeased her because she no longer pursued that line of questioning.

 

For all that she sucked at Occlumency, she really was proficient at its contrary. Typically, you couldn’t be good at one without the other but something happened to her that left her unable to Occlude and no matter how many times and many ways Draco asked, she would never answer. At least she still had some sort of protection in that mind of hers. Once someone entered, it was complete chaos. You couldn’t tell left from right, up from down and the sheer volume of voices… it was not worth the splitting headache you end up with after taking a trip into her mind.

 

“I still wish for your Chameleon to avoid going that far into the basement. He almost entered a room where he could have died by just looking into it…” A trunk clattering to the floor cut Iolanthe off and Lovegood was on her in a second.

 

“You found one?” That look in her eyes didn’t bode well; for some reason, Draco was uneasy.

 

“A gift from someone in the States. They wanted to get rid of it but when they were informed there was a Parselmouth in town, they looked for me and I accepted it. It’s a newborn, so I have some problems trying to understand it. The other snakes avoid it so it spends most of its time alone.” Iolanthe explained but that didn’t tell anything to Draco.

 

“Can I see it?”

 

“Well,” Iolanthe didn’t stand a chance against the doe eyes from Lovegood. She had such a soft spot for her it was not funny. “I guess we can all go, I don’t want it to grow lonely.” Iolanthe relented.

 

“Wait, wait, what thing have you received this time Iolanthe?” It sounded dangerous and Draco could do without the dangerous Creature, he had enough with both women. Lovegood answered him instead.

 

“The King of Serpents, the symbol of Death, the representation of the devil according to Christianity, the possessor of the Killing Gaze, the bane of Spiders.

Be thou like the imperial basilisk,

Killing thy foe with unapparent wounds!

Gaze on oppression, till at that dread risk,

Aghast she pass from the earth’s disk.

Fear not, but gaze,- for freemen mightier grow,

And slaves more feeble, gazing on their foe.”[1]

 

A cup clattered on the table, rolled, fell and broke on the floor. Iolanthe, Luna and Reborn looked at the pale, almost grey, Draco who sat stunned and with glazed eyes. Iolanthe worried when he didn’t respond after calling him several times and was about to check him when his eyes snapped towards her and she saw the gravity in them. Before she even had the chance to explain, he lashed out at her looking totally livid.

 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” He roared making her flinch. “I thought you were smarter than this, Iolanthe! That you had stopped being the stupid Gryffindor from back then who does things without fearing for the consequences! Surely I was totally mistaken when you go and get a murderous creature with a bloody classification of XXXXX!”

 

“Stop it Draco.” Iolanthe’s expression was completely blank but that infuriated Draco even more.

 

“Stop? You should have stopped yourself from accepting that monster! Just what the bloody hell were you thinking?! Oh, no, don’t answer that because it was clear enough you were not!”

 

“Draco, stop.” This time Iolanthe’s voice was more forceful but she was ignored.

 

“At least you should have had the decency to tell me we have a wizard-killer in the basement! You are not only putting yourself in danger; Lovegood, your Husband, me! Merlin, think of the bloody elf too! Just what-“

 

“ENOUGH DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY!” Iolanthe’s voice resounded in the room. The walls, windows and even the people inside shook from the magic infused in her words, successfully halting Draco’s rant. “You are forgetting who is the true owner of this house! I decide what or who lives here, not you!” she hissed. “Not only that, you are also disrespecting my Husband’s authority over me! You have no right, Draco, no right to tell me what to do and what not to do in front of my Husband! From the moment he put those rings on his fingers, he is the only one who can control my decisions, and that’s if I let him! And you as a born and raised Pureblood should be more than aware of it! Now, kneel and apologize!”

 

…

 

Reborn didn’t know what was going on. He liked Chaos but this was much more formal and, dare he say it, dangerous. He was fine when his Wife and the dreamy blondie wanted to know more about Leon, even if he mentally reminded himself to never leave him alone with either women in the future. Then, he was treated to his Wife’s impish nature and damn she knew what she was doing. If he wasn’t cursed, they would have been on their way to the enormous bed in her rooms. Everything went downhill after that. And he was witness, for the second time that day, of his Wife’s frightening power.

 

Not even the room was saved from it. He looked with trepidation how the windows trembled and was more than ready to take cover in case they blew up. He wasn’t envious of Draco, being the one that received most of the impact, his ashen face and labored breathing were proof enough.

 

From that part of the conversation, he deduced some points. First, his Wife got an extremely dangerous -even for wizarding standards- creature that killed with its gaze (if the dreamy blondie was not lying). Second, (and in this one he was almost sure of it) his Wife’s friends lived in the house. Third, there seems to be a whole set of rules for this Lordship thing -even more complicated than he first imagined them to be. And finally, Draco overstepped the boundaries of these rules and needed to be punished for it.

 

He didn’t forgive freely but as he was ignorant of his basic duties as a Lord, there was nothing he could do or say in this situation.

 

Fortunately, his course of action was decided by Draco himself who neatly went on his knees in front of Iolanthe and Reborn and took out a silver knife swiftly cutting a lock of his hair. It was quite long since Draco seemed to be letting his hair grow. Reborn still didn’t understand what was going on and what a lock of hair could do to ask for forgiveness.

 

“By Malfoy tradition, I, Draco Lucius Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble house of Malfoy, present this lock of hair as proof of my sincerity towards the Duke and Duchess Peverell and Lord and Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter and Black. I am deeply ashamed of my behavior towards the owners of the house I’m dwelling as a mere guest. I took Lady Potter’s kindness for granted and offended her and her Husband, Lord Potter with my words. May they have mercy and forgive my unsightly action.”

 

Reborn sneaked a peak on his Wife and noticed her solemn face, even the dreamy blondie was watching the proceedings with a serious expression. He waited for his Wife to say something as he had no idea what he was supposed to do after this, yet all she did was stand up, take the lock of hair from Draco’s hand and leave the room. The room was left in silence and it stretched for minutes until Draco sighed, stood up and left too. His loose hair visibly missing a portion.

 

“Don’t worry, he was forgiven,” the dreamy blondie clarified. “If not, it wouldn’t only be a part of his hair missing but all of it. Malfoys take pride in their long hair and see it as a way to show their standing in society so cutting it for reasons other than maintenance is an insult to their name. Draco offering a lock as an apology shows his repentance and he will have to live with his hair untied so he is constantly reminded he offended his host, Iolanthe. They will be back to normal by tomorrow.”

 

It was all so convoluted and complicated Reborn wanted to ask if he could back down and forget all about what happened this day.

 

“Thanks for imparting that tidbit of knowledge, Miss…”

 

“Oh, where are my manners? Dad would be ashamed if he saw me right now.” Dreamy blondie went back to her usual airy self and with a curtsy she presented herself. “My name is Luna Pandora Heir to the Noble House of Lovegood, Apprentice Magizoologist, War Veteran and Iolanthe’s Mischief Partner and Best Friend.”

 

Well, that was very informative.

 

“Ciaossu, you may call me Reborn.” Reborn simply responded.

 

“Reborn; like how the Sun rises everyday in the east.” He may have imagined it but for a second he thought she had seen right through him with omniscient eyes, it was alarming and made his hair stand on end. “I like your name.” And she was back to normal. “Come Mr. Reborn. I believe it now rests on my shoulders the task to educate you in the way of Lords!” Her airy voice sounded and then she was skipping out of the room.

 

He followed her to the third floor where she instructed him to open the door to the Library. As Lord Black, he was able to do it even if he was not a Black by blood. Then he spent the rest of the morning -with lunch brought by the always amiable house-elf, Kreacher-, the afternoon, another break for tea, and part of the evening reading the driest book of Lordship he has ever had the displeasure of reading. Well, it was the first book he had read on the topic but his point stayed. It was utterly boring. There were so many rules and niceties to be seen that he wanted to put a bullet into the skull of the bastard who wrote that book.

 

He was saved by his Wife who let him know his stupid student was awake, though he did glare at her when she almost laughed herself silly after he told her what he had been doing. At least, he got a promise from her to teach him the basics of what he really needed to know about Lordships. The rest was an ‘outdated and impractical load of tripe’, as she so aptly put it. He wasn’t sure he even wanted to learn but he needed an excuse to get to know his Wife. And it looks she was also putting some effort in this whole marriage thing.

 

What he didn’t appreciate was Stupid-Dino lusting over his Wife while she was being kind enough to see to his wounds. And it served the young Sky right to be terrified of his tutor. That would teach him to have tact and not be like Federico Vongola, who fucks anything that breaths.

 

His Wife came back with a tray of food for his stupid student and left it on the nightstand with another of those potions and instructions on how to take it.

 

They went back up to her rooms where they had a cozy dinner in the sitting area. Her lessons in Lordship for the day were resumed in a few points; as Duke Peverell, he was above the other Lords so he didn’t need to bow to anyone (he liked that) and even the Minister of Magic needed to show him respect. As Lord of three Houses he had considerable political power in the Wizengamot -which was the wizarding equivalent of the Parliament- and had a duty of attending each of their meetings to help to the betterment of the Wizarding World laws unless he appointed a proxy (which he was going to do, he had no time to play the politician).

 

But most importantly, he had a responsibility towards his Houses, e.g. provide with Heirs, see that his Wife was happy, see that everybody in his family was happy, see that Family friends were happy, follow the Family traditions, not shame or disgrace the Family, not let the Family fall into ruin, protect the Family, etc.

 

It was not so different than being part of a Famiglia, except that he was the Head and he called the shots in it. His Wife promised him that she would slowly teach him about the Family traditions but if he had a question about anything to ask her. He would take her on that right away.

 

“What happened back in the Drawing room?” He had to make sure all his deductions were correct.

 

“Ah, that,” she sighed while untying her hair and letting it fall on her shoulders, his eyes following the motion. “Basically we are stubborn people.” She chuckled and his silence demanded for her to elaborate. “When it comes to serious matters we barely listen to each other but there are ways with which we can break through each other’s stubbornness. Draco is a sticker for Pureblood traditions as he was raised like that so I had to scold him using those traditions against him. He did disrespect your position as my Husband if you were wondering. According to Pureblood Tradition, after marrying, a woman can only listen to her Husband so him yelling at me in front you was a faux pas from his part as an outsider.”

 

“Him cutting his hair is Malfoy tradition to recognize he wronged an important ally of his Family and is asking for forgiveness. The Potter Family has something like that too, we are crafters so presenting others with something we created, depending on the situation, is part of tradition. Many don’t know, but actually the Intention Ward was a gift from the Potter Family to the Black Family when a witch from the Potters decided to break her engagement to a wizard from the Blacks that was close to the main line, mere days from their wedding. It wasn’t said why she broke the engagement but the Potters had to compensate for the offence, hence the ward.”

 

“Are you stubborn like him?” He asked in amusement. He had in inkling the answer was yes.

 

“Oh yeah, very much so,” she laughed. “That is your typical Gryffindor for you, all arrogance, poor plans and dead-set ways; though I was never one to throw my weight all over the place, I was very timid before, you see. Either way, I am completely set on my ways, that’s what happens when you’re an orphan and the family that is supposed to take care of you neglects every aspect of your life. It twists your mind to do things your own way and disregard what others say because you have been doing everything on your own.”

 

Reborn understood that very well. He couldn’t help comparing himself to her; they both grew with their own principles born from necessity, to live, to survive. He quietly made his way towards her and got comfortable on her lap. If he had had his real form, he would have pulled her to his lap, but he had to compromise with his tiny body. Fortunately, she didn’t mind and pulled him into an embrace. He would have never done something like this for someone else. It was not his nature to comfort someone. But here, nobody would see him and it was his Wife that needed the comfort.

 

“Perhaps it’s time I teach you another tradition, a Black Tradition.” She whispered after they spent quite some time just sitting there, cuddling. He hummed showing he was paying attention. “As your Wife I have to attend to your every needs inside these rooms.” She hinted with some mischievousness while carding her fingers through his hair. His whole face twitched and he almost laughed incredulous.

 

“Can’t I attend to yours?” He reciprocated shamelessly. She didn’t have any qualms in laughing out loud, her chest rumbling against his, creating many naughty thoughts in his mind. Oh how the mighty have fallen; defeated by beauty and a nice body.

 

“No can do. Come on, I will just help you change into your pajamas. Everything else will have to wait until you regain your normal form.”

 

Fallen really deep indeed.

 

 

* * *

 

[1] Extract from Ode to Naples of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little reminder that this fic is being updated twice a week since it is still in the process of being written. So to ensure a constant update I've set that schedule as I get very distracted with other things in life more often than not. xD


	7. Not able to paw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe is sure she's not the only one and she gets angry because of it. Reborn just can't paw his Wife.  
> Luna is Luna with a bit of Rolf in between.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally get into the second day of the fic!   
> I'm sorry the first days take up so many chapters, it's just that many things happen at the beginning so please bear with it just a little bit longer :D  
> We finally get a bit more of Luna! I have to say, she is such an special existence that no matter what I write about her, I feel I never make justice. Hope you don't dislike her parts :)
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!

 

Iolanthe woke up to the sounds of explosions and pitiful wailing. She opened her eyes to find herself alone in the bed.

“Oh, thank Merlin,” she mumbled to her pillows.

Her first night with her Husband was not how she thought it would be. Of course, she thought she would marry a normal wizard that would instantly have his wicked way with her but instead she married a man that was cursed to look like a toddler and had to wait until she lifted his curse so they could… Alright, better stop that line of thought, she didn’t want to go there yet. She didn’t begrudge the arrangement, well at the beginning she did, but after accepting she really did marry, she didn’t think it was so bad.

 

(Years of being thrown into all sorts of dangerous situations kind of desensitized her to something as simple as marrying.)

 

At least, he was treating her well. He was a total imp with his shameless flirting but she could live with that as long as it was only directed at her. (Arranged or not, she wanted this marriage to succeed.)

 

That he was handsome was a plus. And God, he was handsome! All Italian features, naturally tanned skin, such a devilish smile, those fingers… right, better stop. His real form was so distracting that she mostly forgot his actual body was tiny. Him calmly climbing onto her lap always made a mess of her head and her heart would beat so fast she was glad she was still alive. The few close-ups to his real face made her heart stop and die for a moment. She thought it was all not fair! He exuded all this charisma and testosterone that she was sure she was already attracted to him.

 

Curse her affection deprived childhood!

 

She gulped remembering how toned his body was while she helped him change into his pajamas. She went on in a daze not moving her gaze away from his chest that when she finally caught herself in the act, she readily ran away to the bathroom with the half-assed excuse of wanting to shower. She was forced to take that shower to not look like a liar and heaved a sigh of relief when she noticed her Husband was already asleep on the bed. After gingerly getting into bed, taking care not to wake him, she fell asleep herself.

 

She prayed to any god willing to hear her that she didn’t do anything weird to him while they were sleeping or she would die from embarrassment.

 

Another explosion managed to completely wake her up, she then went through her morning ablutions and decided to wear a satin red and gold robe that looked like a qipao. Looking at herself in the mirror, she nodded. Her robe collection was the only shopping she made without Draco and so far she wasn’t regretting her decision. She bought them all from a Japanese witch that had an exclusive store of robes. All of them perfect for wearing at home as they were very comfortable.  The Japanese witch sold sexier robes but at that time she was not married, so she didn’t even spared them a glance.

 

Maybe she should contact the Japanese woman to let her have a look at that collection. She didn’t want to lose in the looks department with her own Husband. Even if she didn’t feel that confident.

 

She put on the matching slippers and sighed when she couldn’t even leave her rooms. She needed to teach her Husband that she couldn’t go out the room before he brushed and tied her hair. It would have been fine if they were alone in the house but there were other people living there. Friends or not, she was not going to disrespect the traditions of her own House (No matter how impractical). It was even worse now that they had a stranger in the house. She ignored that little voice that told her she was doing it just to get close to her Husband. In a way she was, but it is her Husband for Godric’s sake!

 

So she called for Kreacher and asked him to call for his Husband right away.

 

It wasn’t even a minute after the house-elf left that the door was opening and in came his Husband wearing a smart suit, hugging his figure in all the right places and using that fedora that looked so good on him.

 

“Is something the matter?” She blinked and looked down to the tiny body of her Husband. If she was honest, it was a bit hilarious to see him go from sexy demon to adorably cute in the span of a second, or however long it took her to differentiate his forms.

 

“I can’t go out of the rooms if you don’t brush and tie my hair.” She explained as freshly as possible, though it was obvious she failed miserably. “Nobody except you can see my hair down.” She almost laughed at the exasperated expression on his face but she still felt warm when he didn’t complain and went about the business. She was surprised when he showed talent at doing hair and felt a little sour thinking that maybe she wasn’t the first woman he had made their hair before.

 

She would practically give him all her first times and she would just receive the result of his many affairs. She knew her thoughts were silly and that she had no right to feel like that but she was still infuriated that for all she wanted to feel special, at the end she was just one of many for him and the only lucky bastard that could force him to a marriage. Because she was not that naïve to think that other women hadn’t tried to tie the knot with him. Why shouldn’t they?

 

“It’s done.” He announced stopping her gloomy thoughts and her eyes admired the fancy braid on her hair. She viciously stamped all those treacherous thoughts that wanted to pop up in her mind again and smiled at him.

 

“Thank you, have you eaten breakfast yet? We can eat together.” She offered. Better sell her own good qualities instead of wallowing in misery.

 

“I’m training my stupid student at the moment, so perhaps breakfast after a good workout doesn’t sound bad.” Fortunately, he agreed. Right, just what type of training a future Mafia Boss needed to be considered a good Boss? Maybe she should ask.

 

“Oh, so that’s why the explosions. Well, if Draco ever comes out bitching about the shaking and the noise then ask him to take you to the special room in the basement.” She demurely smoothed her robes and walked lightly to the door, down the stairs and hallways with the kitchen as her goal. She could hear the equally light steps of her Husband behind her. Perhaps she should change the way she walked?

 

“Special room?” He asked really interested. Hm, maybe not, it’s obvious he wasn’t paying attention. She would think about something else.

 

“Yeah, our Ancient Runes and Arithmancy project. It needs adjustments but the layout might serve you better than the hallways of the house. Not to mention you might encounter a few cursed objects we left because I use them for experiments. The House is old and many Blacks practiced the Dark Arts so it’s not uncommon to find one or two dozens of these Artifacts. Some are really inoffensive like leaving you paralyzed for a couple of minutes or losing your hair, but other are rather nasty, like this painting that will trap you in it and if you are alone at that moment, then you might die without anybody knowing.”

 

Just before entering the kitchen, she heard him say a quiet “I’ll think about it” before he went back to ‘training’ his student. She wasn’t worried about the house since it wasn’t the first time it was facing impending doom, she just sent a silent prayer and good luck to her Husband’s student. What she did worry about was her marriage. Maybe she should just wait and see how it pans out but being idle made her a bit nervous, she should at least have her Husband paying attention to her, right?

 

Even the troll of Marcus Flint paid attention to her, why can’t her Husband!

 

…

 

Reborn hated. He hated his tiny body. He was no stranger to the feeling but it had been such a long time since he had finally kind of accepted his situation that he hadn’t had any problems. But now, he hated it again and this time he doubled the hatred.

 

He was married, he had a woman that would do anything for him, ‘attend to his every need’ she said! And he couldn’t do anything due to this stupid tiny body! He forgot how many times he cursed at Checker Face, that bastard. It was the first time he woke up together with a woman and nothing happened the night before! He didn’t count how said woman practically drooled over him while she helped him with his clothes. That at least made him feel better but overall he was so sad that he didn’t waste any time to vent on his stupid student.

 

Stupid-Dino was risen from his bed under the threat of a timed bomb. Too bad he wasn’t smart enough and couldn’t deactivate it on time and it blew on his face. He worried that the noise would wake up the other dwellers in the house but after a couple of seconds of complete silence, he surmised it was no problem at all. He even had the feeling that such explosions weren’t a first in the house and the way the room repaired itself was proof enough. Certainly, his Wife and her friends weren’t simple aristocrats.

 

He still needed to ask what they did for a living. He had an idea about his Wife, but the others, nada. Well, the dreamy blondie might be some sort of zoologist.

 

When Reborn saw that his student was peacefully laying on the floor, he decided to remedy that by raining some bullets on him. “Up, Stupid-Dino, today you are going to learn Field Recognition!”

 

“What? I already did that! The whole building collapse on my head, remember?!” Ah, yeah, that time he forgot to mention his student the building was scheduled to be demolished by the time they were doing Field Recognition and it seemed those people really loved their job as it came down in less than ten seconds. The explosives he hid in the building might have helped in that but well, you can’t always be perfect.

 

Anyway, he didn’t like this attitude of his student thinking he already knew everything so he gained a slap with a gigantic paper fan. “This one is different, for one, the House won’t be demolished and it also has many interesting rooms.”

 

Thanks to Leon and his information gathering, he knew exactly which rooms were the most fun. And it was bewildering how this house really didn’t conform to the laws of physics. The second floor had many more rooms than it was possible and the first floor had some hidden ones that Leon couldn’t gather that much information about because he ran away scared. What was hiding within those rooms, he was very eager to find out. Too bad, the very first room Leon decided to check in the basement was a forbidden one and got caught for it.

 

Seeing his stupid student being so slow when he was excited about this whole excursion, he made Leon transform into a rocket launcher and directed it towards the Cavallone Heir. “No, no, nononono, wait, I’m going- GAAHH!!”

 

Nothing like screams of pain early in the morning.

 

He really loved his student’s expression when the portrait of the crazy lady hurled abuse at him. He was a bit skeptical when Leon mentioned a ‘mean portrait’ clustered in what looked like a big broom closet and other paraphernalia. But now that he was seeing it in person, it was more fun than it was rude. He sat and enjoyed the show. His little student finally broke when he started to respond in equal. Apparently, being called ‘filth’ and ‘vermin in my house’ too many times was too much even for the mild-mannered Cavallone Heir.

 

He was witnessing the unraveling of his student’s fine vocabulary when Kreacher, the house-elf, appeared before him and relayed that its Mistress called for him. His mind halted and evoked the image of the person he left tucked in bed. Hair splayed all over the pillow, rosy cheeks, pouty lips, an almost see-through nightdress and a curled position that had been cuddling his tiny form, the slow up and down of her chest… Right, his Wife needed him.

 

He rushed up the stairs and spent the most frustrating 30 seconds in his life trying to remember the password to the hidden portrait. He luckily could even pronounce it and continued his mad dash towards her rooms. He stopped just outside the door to the Master bedroom to compose himself and enter with as much swag as his body could muster.

 

And all that composure went to hell as soon as he saw his Wife. Oh, but this was not fair! Just when he thought he had the upper hand in the teasing game, she goes and wears that! Tight red satin contrasting that peach skin, the side slit showing those pale, soft-looking thighs, and that dazed expression he wasn’t sure why she had this time. She was just calling to be ravished! She was doing it on purpose, he just knew it! It was revenge for yesterday!

 

He couldn’t decide if he liked this side of his Wife or not.

 

She looked fine, more than fine now that he noticed. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with her so he was confused as to the reason he was called for. But when she answered that he had to brush and tie her hair for as long as they were married -meaning their whole life-, a new bout of possessiveness surged within him. Basically, he was the only one that could see her this undone. And his mind was going to the gutter again.

 

Anyway, he was positive these traditions were meant to torture the poor, tiny, not-able-to-paw-his-Wife, he-spent-years-without-sex Husband. Again, not fair.

 

He thought for a second, and decided that with how much hair she had, a Four Strand braid would look good on her. He didn’t touch the ever present loose curls that framed her face and focused on the rest. If she knew that he had learned so many ways to braid hair because of Fon (damn him and his long hair), she would not only look at him weirdly but maybe laugh at him, too. So, no, perhaps that would be a secret he would keep for the time being.

 

(Though, if he knew his Wife’s thoughts on how he learned his braids, then he would have readily explained it was all because of a man.)

 

Either way, he silently finished his work and tried not to slide his eyes down her spine and the perky curves at the end. He almost missed her offer for breakfast and agreed just so he could take more of the sight she presented. He was also reminded of his student, was he still having a verbal-spat with that portrait or had he already burned it down? Maybe he should check on him... his thoughts trailed when he got full view of how tight that robe, dress, whatever, was.

 

Perky, tight, toned, fit, willowy, those legs…

 

“Special room?” He caught that in her words but he was more invested in what he was seeing. Maybe he should touch and feel how perky those were. The sinful wave of her hips made them even more eye-catching. He didn’t think she would get angry at him if he patted a bit, right? It’s what a nice Husband would do to show appreciation for his Wife, right? Nobody else was watching, right? He could get away with it. If she got angry, he would just feign innocence and run away.

 

Oh, wait, she was done talking, she looked like she was waiting for a reply. “I’ll think about it.” What he would think about, he had no idea, but it always worked. It did this time and he left before he did something indecent and making the both of them perverts.

 

He admitted he was bewitched, by his own Wife.

 

He put those thoughts aside and went to look for his student, who surprisingly had already tried to burn the portrait down, what with the scorched marks around it, but the portrait itself was still fine. The lady looked even more offended and she went all shrew on his student that if she was real, spit would be flying around. Stupid-Dino looked so put out and on the verge of defeat that Reborn took pity of him and led him out of the room.

 

“Thanks, Reborn.” The Cavallone Heir looked so relieved that Reborn just had to remove that expression on his face.

 

“As punishment for not being able to win against a mere portrait, you will have to look for a hundred ways to escape this house before breakfast, begin.” The face full of dread was pure gold. By this time, his student was aware that even his punishments had punishments if he failed. And he was going to fail, this House was hard to get in, but was even harder to get out. These Black people were truly devious in making their enemies despair. Nothing could be opened without the consent of the true owner of the House, that would be his Wife, not even him could open one of the windows.

 

But his student didn’t know that, so he was going to enjoy watching him descend into hysterics. That would teach him to always keep calm in front of any situation. Stupid-Dino always seemed to forget that. If he could at least identify the many ways he could break out of a house, then he would relent on him a bit. He was not so unreasonable, after all.

 

…

 

Luna watched with interest how Iolanthe walked around the kitchen preparing breakfast. So far, she hadn’t noticed there was already someone inside the kitchen. She suspected a colony of Blibbering Humdingers were clouding her sight and talking too loudly around her that she was unaware of her surroundings.

 

According to Luna, there were two reasons for Iolanthe to have been invaded by a colony. One is that she had combined Puffapods, with Flitterbloom that hadn’t been watered for months and a recently potted Screechsnap that was infected by Nargles and all that unbalanced Iolanthe’s magic and reduced her natural shield against the Blibbering Humdingers; or, she was thinking too hard about her new Husband. She personally went for the first reason, it made more sense.

 

Iolanthe’s new Husband was too Sunny to go creating troubles anyway. He looked like such a good person. Luna completely ignored the fact she saw him walking the young man she had rescued into the room created specially for Sirius’ mom.

 

Anyway, Luna spent a considerable amount of time thinking what she could gift her best friend for her marriage. There were many things Iolanthe already possessed so maybe something more valuable like that pair of mittens that repelled Weetimorousbeasties she saw back in the States was an adequate gift. Everybody needed a way to repel those tricky things. A trip, could do too. Iolanthe needed to relax from time to time and travelling around the world just to study and work was not the same.

 

“Fuck!” The brownies almost went up flying when Iolanthe finally noticed Luna’s presence. Luna just serenely smiled at her. Such a silly Iolanthe, that’s why she chose her as her best friend.

 

“Good morning, Iolanthe!” Luna chirped from her seat at the small table in the kitchen.

 

“Morning, Luna, sorry I didn’t see you there.” Iolanthe replied patting her chest. Luna distantly took notice of her friend’s attire and connected it with the fact that as a new married woman, she needed to wear eye-catching clothes so her Husband would solely look at her and consolidate the hold she already had on him. If she wasn’t wrong, that was a Black tradition that Iolanthe learned from Mrs. Tonks. Black women were always beautiful so they relied on their looks to ensnared their object of affections.

 

It was as romantic as trying to date a Veela without drooling, looking like a complete idiot and act like an ass at the same time.

 

But that was wasted on someone like Iolanthe. Her Husband already brightened like a summer Sun whenever he looked at her. She had a good feeling her marriage would succeed. It would be a bit slow-paced at times but they both would connect.

 

“Do you want to eat breakfast now, Luna?” Iolanthe’s voice took her out of her wandering thoughts.

 

“Yes, please, I need to go out today, I have many things to buy.” A plate with a pile of croissants, jars with jams and sauces, bacon, a jug of juice, a set of tea, an assortment of cheese and the plate of brownies were placed in the middle of the table. Luna always enjoyed Iolanthe’s food; she always took care that everything was seasoned as they liked it and even had them special dishes when they were in the mood of something different.

 

“Are you going out on another trip? So soon?” Croissants floated, jars opened on their own, a teaspoon was adding some sugar and the jug was pouring some juice. Everything completely normal during breakfast in a wizarding home.

 

“Rolf just sent me a letter saying that he got news of people sighting a Hidebehind and he wanted to check if it’s true. I leave in the evening.” Luna totally missed the Cheshire cat smile on Iolanthe’s face as she was too busy spreading honey on her bacon and cheese croissant.

 

“How’s Rolf, anyway?” Iolanthe casually asked.

 

“Still as silly as ever. I still can’t believe he uses that pompous dance to get the attention of a female Erumpent. It is obvious that what she needs is flowers and a serenate like any self-respecting female, not a man fooling around.” She sniffed in disbelief.

 

“Has your method ever worked for you?”

 

“How can it? I am a female and he refuses to try my method afraid that the Erumpent would send him flying instead, that’s just dumb.” Luna bit her croissant with more force just thinking about that man. He always doubted her methods saying they were not reasonable and that they would never work. Well, they worked for her, she would be dead if they didn’t. So she thought he was just trying to make her angry to then apologize by buying her things.

 

If he truly wanted to apologize, then he should give clothes to the Ghoul he had in his attic so the Creature would feel like family too. It was completely disrespectful to treat it like the uncle everybody ignores in parties. The poor thing just wants to make the house livelier, the Ghoul that is.

 

“Oh, right, can you give something from me to him? It’s a book about Dark Creatures written by a Black, I once mentioned it to him and he wanted to look at it.” Iolanthe asked while preparing another cup of tea.

 

“Sure, can I have a look at it too? Or is it one I have already read?” During those months of mad study, the three of them practically lived in the library and would only get out to shower or use the bathroom.

 

“You already read it, so maybe directly give it to him.” As much as Luna loved learning about Creatures, she was more a hands-on person and reading books was just once-in-a-lifetime thing. Her Ravenclaw side didn’t cover books.

 

After she was done with her breakfast, Luna cheerfully made her way to the Floo to go to Diagon and get all the things she needed for travel, like mosquito repellent. Rofl gave him one and it didn’t work well, the mosquitoes kept following her, so she got angry at him (of course, Luna didn’t read the label that said it was perfume). She also needed to get more hairbands; the ones Rolf gave her were so eye-catching that they almost died when they were spotted by a Nundu. She got angry at him for that too and almost gave them all back but he managed to convince her to keep them.

 

She did like the ones with bells on them.

 

Maybe she should make a short trip to Weasley Wizard Wheezes, they always have nifty objects she could use. Like that Comb-a-Chameleon. If she had one back in Egypt, it would have been easier for Rolf and her to infiltrate in that shady shop that sold illegal, dangerous pets. She believed him when he said she looked good like herself and now she was sure there were Wanted posters plastered in every shop in the shady part of Egypt with their faces on them.

 

Oh, a new dress was a must too. After all, at the end of their adventures, he would always take her to eat dinner to some fancy restaurant where he would apologize the whole meal and give her more gifts. She had to be prepared for it too.

 

By the time she was done shopping, it was past lunch, so she hurriedly ate something at the Leaking Cauldron and went back home. She had a basilisk to see.

 

 


	8. That place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dino's little mental breakdown at seeing Iolanthe and Reborn together.  
> They are introduced to that place Iolanthe mentioned before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter that presents more of Dino's POV. Just to clarify, in here Dino doesn't know that Reborn is married, but he still gets a fright from seeing his demon tutor being lovey-dovey with a woman. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!

 

Dino was tired, was hungry, was angry and was in pain. Many times he asked himself what he had done to deserve such an evil tutor. He wasn’t even sure what he was learning from Reborn and the Sun Arcobaleno never explained his lessons. He just told him to do this or do that and if he failed, then there would be a punishment. And! If he failed that punishment then he got another one even worse. Many times he wanted to tell his Father he didn’t really need a tutor. He didn’t even want to be a Mafia Boss! He just wanted to raise horses and leave a peaceful life!

 

“ _Don’t be ridiculous, Dino, you are my son, of course you will succeed me as the Head of the Cavallone Famiglia!”_ That’s what his Father said after he refused for the first time to be a Mafia Boss.

 

Months later, he was stuck with Reborn.

 

Even his roommate applied to graduate earlier because he couldn’t stand the level of madness during Reborn’s lessons. Dino so wanted for Squalo to take him away too but Reborn didn’t let him graduate early, said he was too stupid to pass the exams, hence he was called Stupid-Dino by the Hitman. Deep, very, very deep in the darkest corner of his mind, he was once really thrilled to be taught by the Greatest Hitman, the Sun Arcobaleno, however, it all changed when he got to meet and interact with the man. After that, he only thought of ways to hide and run away from his Spartan methods.

 

It was a miracle he was still alive.

 

This time, he was shocked to discover that his tutor had found such a horror house. None of the windows could be opened, the fireplace didn’t have a proper chimney, the back door led to a garden with deadly plants, the attic was full of creepy objects (some of which let out eerie wails), the basement didn’t have an egress door (he did find cells with bones in them) and the front door was the worse! After undoing all the locks and bolts, he opened the door only to find himself in the entryway again. It was like a loop, no matter how many times he wanted to step outside, he would always end up in the same place.

 

His hair stood on end when he finally realized he wasn’t able to leave the house.

 

Was this the work of a Mist? He clearly remembered having woken up in the same room where he was tended to by the beautiful lady. Had Reborn recreated the room and placed him in this impossible-to-breakout house? Would he even be able to leave? More like, would Reborn let him leave? His knees gave in and he crumpled like a sac of potatoes on the stairs landing. He was so tired, better go to sleep and hope it was all a dream.

 

“What are you doing?” Dino opened his eyes to the unknown voice and a stunning man looking down at him as if he couldn’t believe there was someone despairing in the stairs stood before him. The black slacks, button down light blue shirt and polished shoes made the man look casual but elegant. Though the hair was the most captivating feature of this man, it was blonde almost white, gleaming and looked so soft. For the first time, Dino envied a man.

 

“I, um… sitting?” His rambling only got a raised eyebrow as response. Maybe, the man could help him. “No, I mean, I’m thinking how to leave this house.” Well, that sounded rude.

 

“Leave? You would need to ask the owner of the house to be able to leave.” Ah, finally something that made sense! Though, if he really thought about it, it didn’t make much sense.

 

“Oh, thank God, can you help me look for the owner?” The blonde man looked at him with a weird expression and Dino wasn’t sure if he had said something wrong or if his English was difficult to understand. He couldn’t be blamed! Learning eight languages wasn’t easy and he could barely practice them.

 

“Follow me.” The blonde man said and briskly walked down the rest of the stairs.

 

Dino immediately followed him, they went past the broom closet where the crazy lady was, a door he knew led to the Sunroom and the other that went down to the basement. The house had everything and the more he saw, the more he was sure it was the work of a Mist, a very powerful Mist. The idea that the owner of the house and the Mist were the same crossed his mind and he couldn’t help put up his guard. Maybe the blonde man was a subordinate of the Mist, though he couldn’t discern what type of Flames the man had.

 

They arrived to the big Dining room with its huge table, many chairs, two chandeliers and the amazing wallpaper that moved and produced sound. The first time he entered this room, he was enchanted by it. It looked totally awesome and wondered if the Mists in the Cavallone Mansion were able to do the same. Having admired the room for the second time, he continued following the blond man down to a cabinet which it surprisingly moved after tapping a cup in a certain pattern.

 

He had completely oversighted that and could already hear Reborn’s condescending tone scolding him for being stupid, again.

 

The room beyond the cabinet was the kitchen -no wonder he never found it. It was even bigger than the dining room with its humongous cabinets that no doubt held innumerable plates, glasses, other china, pots and pans. Then there was the stove, counters, the huge sink, what he thought was the fridge, and an oven in the wall! (Those were ancient!) Then his eyes went to the corner where the blonde man headed to, to a less grandiose table and four seats, food was already served and-

 

Dino froze and couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.

 

“Here, say ah~” The woman, the beautiful woman who tended to his wounds was spoon-feeding Reborn! The terrifying Reborn, the Greatest Hitman in the World, the Sun Arcobaleno, the most horrible tutor in the universe, he was pure evil! Yet here he was, docilely opening his mouth an accepting food from another person, a woman… The world is coming to an end! Or maybe he was already dead and this was heaven… or hell. “Oh, morning Draco!”

 

“Good morning, Iolanthe” So she was named Iolanthe. A very fitting name for her.

 

“Serve yourself some breakfast, Luna already ate, she went shopping because she is going on another expedition with Rolf.” Dino wasn’t sure if the matching knowing smirks they both sported was a beautiful picture or a frightening one. “You think we will get one more person for the Yule dinner? Try this one, Reborn, ah~”

 

“Too soon to tell.” The blonde man, Draco, replied spreading butter on a croissant, putting some bacon, lettuce, cheese and gave his creation a bite. Dino envied his way of eating, even that look so picturesque!

 

“We can invite the whole Scamander Family, I apprenticed under Newt, maybe they accept.” Dino was on the verge of fainting due to the shock, Miss Iolanthe was even cleaning the crumbs around Reborn’s mouth. The whole world has gone to Hell. Perhaps if he walked out then came back in, the scene would change.

 

“Maybe.” Draco acquiesced. Was he not bothered by the scene displaying in front of him? Or was this a new way they invented to torture him? “Iolanthe, I think you are traumatizing your guest with your actions. He looks on the verge of having a mental breakdown.”

 

“Oh,” Iolanthe glanced at Dino and he couldn’t help straightening under her scrutiny. “It’s good to see you up and about. Come join us to eat.” She smiled. Dino resurged from Hell to Heaven and stiffly made his way to the table, sitting between Draco and Reborn and in front of Miss Iolanthe. God, he hoped he wouldn’t act like a pig while eating after seeing how well-mannered and beautiful this table looked from afar -minus Reborn, of course. “We don’t know your name so, could you please present yourself?”

 

“Ah.. I, I.. My name is Dino Cavallone, the Cavallone Famiglia’s next Bo-”

 

_Bang!_

 

Poor Dino in his nerves stumbled in his speech and almost presented himself as if he was in front of any other Mafia Famiglia but was timely cut off by Reborn’s bullet, which he ducked. For a split second, Dino caught Draco and Miss Iolanthe’s expression; he thought he imagined it but their eyes looked so sharp and there was something around them that made them look ready to kill whatever threat came their way. A chill ran down Dino’s spine. Yet, when he looked back up again, both were back to normal if a little peeved by Reborn’s actions.

 

“He’s only Stupid-Dino and he unfortunately is my student.” Dino raged in his heart.

 

He didn’t want to be known by that name by these people! Couldn’t Reborn for once present him like a normal person? It wasn’t until Dino noticed the narrowed eyes and the inquisitive look Draco was throwing at him that the Cavallone Heir realized he was about to break Omertà. His body was covered in cold sweet in seconds and looked at his tutor gratefully, only to receive a condescending look.

 

Dino gave up.

 

“No need to get violent while eating.” Miss Iolanthe’s voice broke the tensed silence. “Today, Draco and I will be researching so we will need a somewhat peaceful environment -if we don’t start hexing each other- so, I will take you two to a place where you can go wild to your hearts content.”

 

“That place?” Draco asked sipping the last of his tea.

 

“That place.” Miss Iolanthe confirmed with a nod.

 

That place sounded ominous and Dino focused on eating as if it was his last meal.

…

That place was awesome and Reborn was starting to love it. So this was the special room. A forest hidden behind a door! He only knew a handful of Mists able to do something like this but knowing the nature of his Wife, he wanted to ask how she was able to do it.

 

“Gentlemen, welcome to the Forbidden Forest,” Iolanthe presented to an awed Reborn and a pale Dino. “The place is home to countless Flora, a few dangerous ones mingled with a few innocent and also a vast collection of Magical Creatures, from the inoffensive and almost useless Flobberworm to the deadly Basilisk.”

 

“By Salazar, you are sending them to their deaths.” Draco breathed and Reborn looked back at the forest with wariness. If the dreamy blondie was telling the truth then just seeing it at the eyes would kill them. No fight, no warning.

 

“Now, don’t be dramatic Draco, the thing is only a hatchling,” At least the dreamy blondie was right in saying those two would be back to normal after a day of their argument. “But, if you don’t want to encounter it, then pay attention to the spiders, if you see them fleeing like crazy then run in the same direction.”

 

“Aren’t spiders too small to notice in this dreary forest?” The place looked in perpetual darkness and Reborn just hoped it wouldn’t rain or something.

 

“Oh, no, you will notice these spiders.” Reborn didn’t know if he should love this mischievous side of his Wife or feel apprehensive. “I will send your lunch with Kreacher but I will expect you back for dinner. Have fun!” Well, at least they wouldn’t hunt for their food here. He wasn’t sure what was edible and what not.

 

“Good luck and if you find Occamy shells, please bring some with you.” Draco nodded and was ready to leave when he was stopped.

 

“How will we know we brought the correct shells?” For once his student opened his mouth to ask something sensible.

 

“You will know the moment you see them.” Damn, he truly hated not being completely informed. He could stand his Wife being secretive but he vowed revenge against Draco. With that, the wizard and witch departed leaving them to their fate in this unknown place.

 

“Since when do we have an Occamy?” Reborn heard his Wife ask.

 

“Lovegood just brought one from her last trip with Rolf, another gift, Newt consented to it.” Draco replied in a bored tone. He sounded really used to either Iolanthe or the dreamy blondie bringing strange Creatures. “It appears the Occamy was female as it began nesting as soon as it was released, so I suppose it will have some hatchlings by now, how long does…” Their voices trailed until they stopped telling Reborn they were out of the forest.

 

Reborn looked around him and felt anticipation bubbling in his body. It had been so long since he last got a challenge and facing the unknown was a challenge for him. He glanced at his student who looked ready to keel it and was even more nervous than a mouse. He inwardly sighed. If the place wasn’t as unfamiliar to him as it was for his student he would leave him alone to face the dangers but this time he wouldn’t do that. The boy needed to be alive to become a Mafia Boss.

 

“Come, Dino, we have a forest to explore.”

 

None of them expected what they faced in the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I read a comment about how Reborn could get jealous of Dino checking out Iolanthe due to her pretty clothes. After rereading this chapter for the nth time due to editing, I noticed Dino might start developing a crush on Iolanthe. It is not confirmed and it's never mentioned in the following chapters that I have written but you can be the judge to that. Some things just write themselves up :)


	9. Dementor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe and Draco begin their research to break the Arcobaleno Curse and talk about the marriage.  
> Reborn and Dino explore the pseudo Forbidden Forest.  
> A wild Dementor appears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little bit of a reminder, dear readers: Draco doesn't know anything about Reborn, not even his name; as surprising as it is xD  
> I know it's a bit hard to remember some details in the story that's why I wanted to clarify that. 
> 
> Also this author is not very good with Magical Theory but I tried my best. For now Iolanthe and Draco are working with runes and arithmancy so I went to learn a bit about Elder Futhark though I suck at numbers so I leave that to your imagination. Please don't shun my effort to make them look scholarly ;v; (yes, this is a crying emote)
> 
> AND just a warning for words that might offend your views about relationships in this chapter xD We all think different about things :D
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!

* * *

 

“So, how do you really plan on breaking that Curse?”

Iolanthe and Draco had sequestered themselves in the library for hours and were not even close to discovering what type of ritual they wanted to practice for her Husband’s curse. Draco was reading the book about Horcruxes for the nth time trying to decipher just what Iolanthe saw in the ritual they could use. The book was Darker than he thought and presented a good possibility for the Curse on her Husband, he just wasn’t quite sure how his friend wanted to go about it.

“I have no idea,” she sighed while perusing the books about rituals they had gathered. It was a good start, maybe they could get inspiration somewhere and end up creating their own. “I mean, isolating the curse to another object is easier…”

“But…?”

“But it won’t break it. I know how the Curse works… never mind, I know what it does, but I don’t understand how it works, how it does what it does. Do you get what I’m trying to say?” She huffed frustrated after she was done with one of the books. It was a total waste of her time, it just contained rituals about improving one’s looks. Really, just what have the Blacks been doing all these years? If they had this kind of book, couldn’t they have done something for Bellatrix Lestrange? Well, she guessed the madwoman had to be pretty at some point.

“I think I do. I get your idea to transfer a curse from one object to another. The thing is, how are we going to do it? It’s not a soul we are transferring, so why refer to this book?” He inquired tapping the book he had been reading.

“Take a look at the runes and the Numerology. It’s almost the same principle I want to apply.” Draco rolled his eyes. Of course he had read the Rune work and the Numerology, that was the first thing he checked about this ritual and reading it again would just make him memorize the whole thing. But just to have something to do, he read it again, they had reached a dead end anyway.

The ritual on the was more about extraction and transferring; since it wasn’t a soul they were working with maybe they should try extract and pin, or transfer and isolate? Extract and break would have been the ideal, though it was really complicated to decide what action to take since they weren’t sure how the Curse really worked.

On their way to the library, Iolanthe mentioned the person under the Curse felt like being pressed, subdued, so, are they trying to lift that pressure and then disconnect the link between the object and the person? Would that affect the person directly? What about the magick it had already been syphoned, would it go back? Or, disconnecting the object would make the curse retaliate and syphon the person’s magick in one go? They would end up with a dead Husband if that happened.

“Say, Iolanthe, is there a way we can discern if the Pacifier is intrinsically connected to your Husband? Are we sure the Curse won’t retaliate if we attempt to separate the both of them?” Asked Draco while leafing through one of the books about rituals that Iolanthe picked. Oh, this one looks promising, Cleansing Cursed Objects.

Just as he was going to begin reading, a pair of hands slammed on the table and he looked up startled.

“If you weren’t betrothed and I married, I would have kissed you.” Draco was left baffled by Iolanthe’s sudden declaration as she sprinted out of the library. He returned to his senses when he saw her carrying another book. That one looked almost like the one about Horcruxes, was it another experimentation journal from that Turkish Magus? “I was too busy thinking of a way to break, isolate or separate the Curse that I failed to think what would happen if we did that but there is a way to unravel a curse. Here, in this ritual.”

Draco immediately went through the ritual and raised an eyebrow. “This one is a ritual to identify a disease in a dead body.”

“Yes, well, it’s different. This one is more invasive than the normal ritual to identify a disease, however,” she grabbed quill and parchment and transcribed the whole ritual circle, “if we change Reversed Kenaz for Jera, add either Reversed Hagalaz or Reversed Nauthiz, then this formula, change this number here and write this other here, I think the ritual may unravel how the Pacifier works and how it’s connected. What do you think?”

Draco stared hard at the new ritual circle and thought it would be feasible, they would need to revise it to make sure it doesn’t explode in their faces but it was looking good. “We can add a Lotus Flower or Sage in the plants to be burned.” He suggested.

“To enhance the efficiency of the ritual? Sounds good to me. We should still keep working on what kind of ritual we want to use at the end just to have an idea after we check out this identifying ritual. Might as well create one.”

And so they descended into Discussion-Mode comparing the rituals they found could work if they tweaked a thing or two in them. Soon, they started arguing about one ritual that helped break a curse, against another that protected from a curse.

“Don’t be an idiot Draco, the combination of Uruz and Raidho there would be enough to blow the house, much less break a curse!” She sniffed.

Draco just looked at her with condescending eyes, “As if Thurisaz and those numbers you call Arithmancy are any better, your Husband would be dead before you finish the first chant.”

They glared daggers and then ignored each other seeing as neither would back down. Two quills furiously scribbling on parchment could be heard the next minute.

After an indefinite amount of time, Draco broke the silence between both, “I know it’s too soon to ask but, how are u faring with your marriage?” he asked from where he was slumped in his chair. He was deciding which combination of eyes to use in a ritual to suppress the effects of a curse. Salamander and Horned-chameleon eyes or Salamander and Boomslang eyes?

“It is too soon and I guess I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Replied Iolanthe buried in a pile of parchment containing different designs of rituals and a combination of runes. Her mind torn between _Sanatio_ or _Curatio_ in the chant she was creating. “I’m trying to follow the traditions but it’s hard when he looks like that.”

“Can’t you see his real form?”

“I can, but it’s not the same, I can’t even touch him…” she trailed off but then her brain caught up with her words. “Not that I want to touch him, it’s just…” Better use _Medella_ , it would make more sense with the next chant.

“It’s like he’s not there?” Hm, Salamander and Horned-Chameleon it is. No need to add another ingredient to avoid a clash of properties.

“In a way. It was all too sudden, the contract was basically shoved in our faces, then we are under threat of dying if we don’t have a baby by July and-“ she gulped and took a deep breath. “I’m afraid.”

“Of him? Is he someone dangerous? I can feel his and that Dino guy’s Magick is different, are you afraid of them?” Draco’s voice sharpened.

“No! No, I’m not afraid of him. If he wanted me dead, he would have killed me ages ago,” that didn’t reassured Draco. “Don’t ask about what he does or what type of Magick they have, their Statute of Secrecy is more severe than ours.” Draco hummed relenting. “No, what I’m afraid is this whole relationship thing.”

“You’re afraid to fall in love with him?” He was taken aback by the confession but he thought he understood where she was coming from.

Her whole life was a game between life and death. Now that she was able to do anything she wanted, she would always be cautious and not really enjoy life like a normal person. It was cruel.

All those people that forced her into that position were cruel. Back then, those people were having fun and were blissfully ignorant, and then there was Iolanthe, a wreck of a woman before she was twenty, carrying the weight of the world in her shoulders, endangering herself for others, hurting herself for others, doing other people’s work, being the completely selfless person she was manipulated to be.

She faced a Dark Lord with the bravery of a Gryffindor but was afraid of something so trivial like a relationship. War messed up everyone involved but nothing like how it messed up Iolanthe.

“I am afraid to fall in love with him and that he would never reciprocate. We were forced into this marriage and as a witch, I understand that this may mean a loveless marriage, but he might take it as another chain around his neck. He is so proud, you see, he was very proud of what he was before he was cursed. When I looked into his mind-”

An inelegant snort escaped Draco’s mouth, “Sorry, it was just too obvious when you did it. Even Lovegood, who is always flying up there, noticed.”

“Har, har, yeah, laugh it up. The thing is, I glimpsed at his life just after he was cursed. He was so full of rage, hate and disdain for his new form, he felt weak, hopeless and trapped that I dread to think what he would do if he sees this marriage as another trap! I think it would make us both unhappy.”

“We can always use Amortentia.” Draco said so nonchalant.

Iolanthe sat up alarmed and horrified, she would never… she groaned when she saw the mirth in Draco’s eyes. “You are never going to let me live that down, right?”

“Never,” he confirmed. “Imagine our surprise when the almighty Iolanthe Potter said she smelled dear Blaise Zabini in the Amortentia potion.”

“I didn’t say it was Zabini!” She shrieked offended.

“Same thing, what you smelled was how he smelled. He was insufferable the following days, bragging about how he snogged the Girl-Who-Lived in a broom closet.” The silence that followed was so telling that Draco couldn’t help sputter. “No way! You did snog him!” Oh, if only he could tell someone about it! Next day, he was so visiting Astoria to tell the gossip!

“It was only once.” She softly confessed. “Right after that Potions lesson, he caught up with me going up to the library…” she coughed embarrassed. “We got what we wanted, I got an amazing snog from my crush and he got to brag about how he put his tongue down my throat.”

That startled a laugh out of Draco. “You heard the rumors?”

“Everybody heard the rumors, Draco,” she huffed. “If you hadn’t noticed, nothing stayed secret in Hogwarts. I received a scolding from Hermione about decorum and propriety while Parvati and Lavender were asking for details. Ron whined about how I was consorting with slimy snakes and poor Neville wouldn’t look at me without blushing,” she sighed, good old times those. “I must say I can’t escape Italians.”

“Your Husband is Italian?”

“He is. Much better looking than Zabini, too.” She sighed wistfully.

“Oh shit, you are attracted.” It showed how comfortable Draco was that he had started cursing. Iolanthe hummed confirming his statement. “Merlin’s flowery knickers… you are in deep dragon dung.”

“I know!” she groaned. “And I can’t help thinking that with his handsome face and fit body, he has had hundreds of lovers and I barely got a snog in a shady broom closet with Blaise bloody Zabini. After that, nothing! Zero! Nada! He will discover what an unexperienced wretch I am!”

“Well, if I were him, I would feel honored.”

“What?”

“As a man, it helps the ego, to have a woman’s first time.”

“That’s so chauvinistic and hateful.”

“That a woman saved herself carefully for her Husband is commendable and the right conduct for a proper Lady, plus it makes the Husband feel desired, honored and, dare say, touched. So don’t go thinking that it’s correct to open your legs to all and sundry just to get experience. If your Husband has had many lovers in the past, then that means he never thought to settle down. It’s not your fault so don’t you go worrying about it.” Draco patiently explained.

“I, I… is that true?”

“Any self respecting man would think so.”

“But what if he doesn’t think the same?” She asked in a mosquito voice.

“Then he is a fool!” He replied sharply to then sigh seeing her there looking so small.

He disliked seeing her so vulnerable, she was supposed to be happy and carefree, not a self-deprecating woman with low self-esteem. He wasn’t supposed to be reassuring her, that was her Husband’s job but seeing as he was the problem, Draco had no other choice.

“Listen, all arranged marriages begin like this. All full of doubts and a lack of trust but you can make it work. My parents’ marriage was arranged too, they didn’t have the time to know each other before they were already attempting to have me. It sounds barbaric, I know, to get together just to continue the line and have ties with a powerful Family but that didn’t deter my Mother. She worked hard, paid attention to what my Father liked, what he liked to eat, liked to wear, liked to listen to when he was angry or sad or had had a bad day. She used all the Black tricks up her sleeve to seduce my Father so he would look at her and only her for the rest of their lives and she succeeded. Now, my Father can’t live without her. If he is having a content life, it is all because of her.”

“It’s not the same,” she sulkily said.

“I know it’s not the same. You went through a lot when you were younger, things that others might not have come out sane or even alive but that only made you better. My Mother is half the witch you are, I admit it, but if she could make a cold, indifferent, pompous, supercilious Malfoy fall in love with her, why can’t you with this man? For all that you find a fault in yourself, others will find two good qualities. If I, who have been your rival for seven years and have seen you at your worst in the following ones, can see all your good qualities outshine your bad ones, I doubt your Husband wouldn’t see them when you are a stranger to him. Just have more confidence in yourself and you will have him eating in the palm of your hand.”

Draco felt tired at the end of his spiel. He had never talked this much, but he thought the pep-talk was worth it.

“Thank you, Draco.” The soft, choked voice of Iolanthe reached his ears and he slumped back again in his armchair.

“You’re welcome. Now, tell me how much better your Husband is compared to Zabini. The guy thought he could make even Amelia Bones get in bed with him, the delirious git.” He heard her snicker. Who didn’t know that the Late Lady Bones would rather have an affair with a goblin than a man. She was such a feminist.

They were both on their feet in less than a second when they heard the telltale pop of a house-elf and saw the panting and trembling Kreacher who could barely wheeze “Dementor” before he fainted. Both looked bewildered at each other before Iolanthe paled. She whipped her wand and without explaining casted.

“Expecto Patronum!” The stag hurried through the shelves and walls as Iolanthe followed it at full-speed. He heard her “Accio Firebolt,” then the buzz of the broom zooming in while she kept running down the stairs. Draco easily connected the dots too but managed to calm himself before hurrying to the kitchen to get as much chocolate as he could put in his pockets, down to his Lab to grab a couple of Calming Draughts and other Potions, then called his own Nimbus 2001 and flew into the Forest.

He didn’t want to think why there was a Dementor in their Forest but he could interrogate Iolanthe later. Now, they had to save two people from being Kissed.

 

…

 

Reborn had to give credit where it was due.

His Wife had created the most horrific forest in the world. Not even Mists are this devious. They lost the count of how many times they walked in circles and he lost the count of how many times he had saved his stupid student. He didn’t know how many times Dino needed to understand that the pretty, alluring light was meant to lead him to the giant carnivorous plant behind it. The worst was that unlike Mists’ illusions, this Forest was realer than real and couldn’t exactly escape from it.

Yes, Reborn admitted he lost his sense of direction. He suspected it was the Forest Fairies the dreamy blondie mentioned when he met her. Didn’t she say something about those pesky things getting people lost?

Right, so, after what felt like hours, they managed to find a stream with clear water (all the other ponds and streams they encountered looked so poisonous it was not funny) and they faced their first Magical Creature, a crab. A crab on fire. A huge crab on fire that attacked them the moment it saw them. They counterattacked at first but seeing as their attacks didn’t even tickled the crab, they decided to strategically retreat. Never run away.

If they had known that Luna kept the crab in a diet based on Puffer-fish eyes and Salamander blood, key ingredients for a Swelling Solution and Strengthening Solution respectively, they would be crying in rage.

Having had their first encounter with a Magical Creature, Reborn grew more cautious and Dino more scared. As they were walking through thick trees, they met their second Magical Creature, or Creatures. It was a herd of hippogriffs. With how the crab behaved and how strong it was, they circled around the herd, it was then that Reborn noticed another Creature near the herd. It was a black winged-horse with a skeletal body, face with reptilian features, and wide, leathery wings that resembled a bat's.

Unlike the herd who totally ignored them, this black Creature trustingly approached the two. Reborn tensed and was ready to fight at the minimum hostile action from the horse but found himself relaxing when it only regarded him curiously and even asked to be petted. Reborn was fascinated by such a Creature, it looked so frightening but couldn’t be gentler. It kind of reminded her of his Wife, as absurd as it sounded. He mentally apologized to her for the comparison.

“What are you doing Reborn?” Asked his stupid student. Reborn glanced at him and noticed the disturbed expression in his eyes.

“I’m petting a horse.” He nonchalantly replied. It was a horse, right?

“What?” Now Stupid-Dino didn’t believe him.

“There is a horse in front of us, you dimwit!”

“Reborn, there is nothing in front of us.” Dino was looking alarmed now as if Reborn finally lost it, or was it another test of his?

Reborn paused and looked at the horse that got bored of being petted and silently walked away. It was right there, how can his stupid student not see it? Has fear muddled his head and finally turned him into an idiot? The Hitman regarded Dino with so much pity that the latter couldn’t help scowl. He could guess what his tutor was thinking, so he huffed and speedily walked away.

The Sun Arcobaleno tutted at Dino’s immature behavior and followed him just to find him a couple of minutes later standing there asking to be eaten by beasts. Not even the insight of hiding from danger. Reborn was very disappointed on his student yet when he noticed the reason why he stood there stupidly, he couldn’t help do the same.

A unicorn!

A unicorn was standing in a clearing with its silvery hide and golden lustrous mane. It looked as if it was shining and the moment it turned to them, Reborn felt so… inadequate to be seeing such a pure Creature. It was the first time he felt so inferior. But that feeling lasted just a second before shoving Dino to the side, the teenager complained but shut his mouth when he saw the arrow embedded where he was standing. The unicorn fled but they had something more worrying in their hands: Centaurs pointing their bows at them.

“Man-child of the Sun and immature Sky, you shouldn’t be here.” One of them warned. Dino was too stunned to reply and Reborn was dazed.

_Man-child_

It was the first time someone called him like that. It was an accurate description but it was said with such derision that he bristled and didn’t think twice before having Leon transforming into his gun and firing. The Centaur barely dodged the bullet that only served to enraged the whole group that accompanied him. Reborn was ready to fight but Dino was faster than him and grabbing his tiny body, they fled. Of course, the Centaurs wouldn’t let them off so easily and pursued them while firing arrows.

Dino didn’t know how long and how far he ran but it wasn’t until he couldn’t hear the hoofs behind them anymore that he stopped. He ignored the indignant face on his tutor and crumbled on the ground.

Reborn was fuming. The nerve his student had of touching him! Just as he was going to unleash his wrath on him, a chill ran down his spine. He noticed Dino shivered and puffs of smoke were coming out of his mouth. Reborn glanced around and realized their surroundings were freezing and wilting at a visible speed. His Flames grew agitated inside him and he was ready to use them when he heard a scream and a woman yelling desperately.

_Run, Renato! Noo! Leave him alone!_

Reborn paled. In front of him, Dino was whimpering.

_Shut you mouth you whore! I will kill you and that bastard!_

_Baszd meg, Luce! Remélem, meghalsz egy szörnyű halált!_

Then, Reborn saw it. A gliding, wraith-like Creature coming their way. It swooped down on Dino and he watched as his student let out the most horrifying wails he had ever heard. Their Flames reacted but that didn’t deter the foul Creature and kept attacking Dino. Reborn stood rooted by fear and despair seeing it sucking something out of his student. Dino’s wails got softer but was still crying. Just when Reborn thought Dino would die, the Cavallone Heir entered Hyper Dying Will Mode.

Reborn was surprised by the amount of Flames Dino held and a spark of pride nestled in his heart. But just when he thought his student would be fine, the Flames dissipated and he slumped on the ground. An orange spark of light came out of Dino’s mouth. The Sun Arcobaleno didn’t need to be a genius to know that the creature had just suck his student’s soul. He almost got sick then and there but gritted his teeth and fought against his own nightmarish thoughts to get that soul back.

His eyes widened belying his horror at seeing as the soul slowly made its way towards the gnarled hands of the wraith to be ingested but then a rush of warmth invaded his body and everything around him. A white light crashed against the wraith making it flee, shrieking and the orange spark that was his student’s soul went back into Dino’s body who took a shuddering breath as soon as his soul was back into his body but still remained unconscious.

Reborn felt so relieved that he slumped on the ground too and fought against passing out. Just trying to suppress his own vicious thoughts were a task for him, this time they were both truly unprepared for the horrors this Forest hid and Reborn felt ashamed that he almost made Dino die because of his decisions. He spotted a white Stag prowling around them and deduced this was the source of the warmth he was feeling. He felt so comfortable that his eyes started to drop against his will.

“Renato!” Who was calling him by that name? “Oh, Merlin, Renato, I’m so sorry, I’m sorry.” Ah, it was his Wife, was she crying? She looked so panicked, afraid, as if he would disappear in an instant.

He wanted to say something but his eyes closed and he succumbed to sweet oblivion still feeling the warmth he realized was his Wife’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's make another game!  
> Same as before, whoever guesses correctly gets to ask something about the story (spoilers not included). This one is very easy!
> 
> Who did Reborn hear and in what situation?!  
> You get to ask two questions if you tell me the language, too. 
> 
> (If anyone out there who speaks the language can help me to check if it's right or wrong, then I'll be really thankful! This author shamelessly used the crappy google translator for it xD)


	10. Would you hear me out?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe and Reborn have their very first fight and she goes all Peverell on him.   
> Reborn knows more about Iolanthe's life and makes a promise to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for indulging this author in her boring games of guessing :D And thanks for responding to it. I can see that many people are following and waiting for this fic. I am happy very happy >w<
> 
> So, you get some lame explanations to your questions here but I hope you don't blame me, after all, some things are not the focus at this time in the fic. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!
> 
> PS. There is something good at the last part of this chapter.... Well, good depending on how you see it xD

* * *

 

When Reborn opened his eyes, he was tucked under a very thick duvet on the bed in his Wife’s room. The images of what happened just before he lost consciousness came to his mind and he couldn’t help feel ashamed and disgusted at how he reacted. Granted, it was an unknown enemy but that didn’t give him the reason to freeze like a newbie Hitman and wait for death. He should have fought, retaliate or at least drag Dino away from the foul thing yet he drowned himself in his misery and worst memories.

A thump sounded on his right and through blurry eyes, he made out his Wife’s form uncomfortably sleeping on the armchair by the hearth. She jolted awake and her gaze snapped towards the bed, their eyes locked for a second before she was upon him fussing and apologizing and rambling that his fuzzy mind could barely understand what she was saying. Instead of feeling uncomfortable, like he thought he would, he inexplicably felt pleased by the attention.

A chuckle escaped his lips without his permission, but it seemed that was a bad reaction in his Wife’s eyes.

“It’s not a laughing matter!” Her expression morphed from a worried kitten to a belligerent kitten. Why were her expressions so endearing? “Dino presented symptoms of being Kissed!”

“That Dino got kissed by who?” When did his student get time to kiss someone?

Iolanthe huffed, “A Dementor’s Kiss is something worse than death. It sucks your soul and leaves your body a carcass, not alive but not dead either.” Alright, that was a sobering piece of information. His Wife suddenly deflated and her hand started running through his hair. “There is no way to recover a soul once a Dementor sucked it. If it weren’t for Kreacher who was about to hand you both lunch and witnessed you being attacked, I would be having two corpses in my basement.”

She looked so upset and on the verge of crying that he didn’t know how to comfort her so he just blurted out a, “It’s ok.” But that also proved to be something stupid to say.

“It’s not ok! I should have warned you about the different Creatures down there, should have told you what to do about them but I turned stupid and cocky thinking you would be fine letting you face all those dangers without an ounce of information. You were almost killed down there! I should have never let you into that place!” As much as he enjoyed seeing a beautiful woman worrying about him, he was an adult and he detested being mollycoddled.

“I don’t need you sheltering me like a toddler, Iolanthe!” He called out. Ok, maybe it was too forceful seeing her flinch and looking so taken aback but he wanted to make a point. “It’s good that you worry about me and try to protect me but despite looking like a baby, I am already a grown-up! I am a Hitman who has been facing dangers and killing people since I was ten! Do you think that someone who grew up like that, living a life of kill-or-be-killed, would suddenly hide behind the skirts of his Wife? I can accept many things, but my own Wife stomping on my pride is not one of them! Am I clear?”

He imagined many scenarios of Iolanthe’s reaction to his first authoritative scolding as her Husband, maybe cry, rage, throw things at him while calling him an ungrateful ass, but her meekly nodding and getting into bed to cuddle him was not one. He was left with no way to counter to that.

…

While cuddling her Husband, Iolanthe could only remember Luna’s words before she left to Rolf’s house.

_“You can’t stop people from seeing you, Iolanthe. Don’t hide, and let them understand what makes you, you.”_

They had postponed the visit to the Basilisk for when Luna came back from her expedition as there was no chance to go there again.

Being Kissed by the Dementor, Dino had to be rennervated and forced fed chocolate to counteract the effects on the body, then Iolanthe and Draco indiscriminately threw Warming Charms on his body while they kept talking to him just to see if he didn’t have other effects on him. Luckily, his brain didn’t suffer any damage, he could walk perfectly and Iolanthe checked that his Flames were still pulsing inside him.

He looked very lifeless but that was normal for someone who had their soul sucked, Draco volunteered to keep an eye on him just to make sure he was absolutely fine.

Putting the young Cavallone Heir back in bed in his room, they left him to rest after feeding him a Dreamless potion since he would no doubt be having nightmares about the Dementor and the potion would spare him from them. When he wakes up again, he would be subjected to another check-up and a mind prodding from Iolanthe, just to be sure. Luna came back after both, Dino and Reborn, were put to bed and was explained what happened.

That’s when Draco discovered both Luna and Iolanthe had been experimenting on a Dementor they found in the House while they were renovating… well, cleaning the dungeons, you can never completely renovate a place full of very Dark Magic. Neither knew exactly how the thing arrived there but they suspected at some point in war, Bellatrix Lestrange used the Black House to do unspeakable things. Then a Dementor wouldn’t be that surprising when it came to that madwoman.

The girls experimentation ranged from the origin of the Creature, the composition, how did it exactly sucked memories and souls to what happened after all those memories and souls were sucked. It was an arduous and torturous month since both had a fair share of bad experiences; Iolanthe more than Luna. But they still believed that their discoveries would help the Ministry take better precautions on the usage of such foul Creatures. They presented their discoveries but it seemed it had been dismissed by the Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

Seeing this, Luna took the practical side and printed her discoveries in the Quibbler as that was the only way for people to know about Dementor without the whitewashed information from the Ministry so the population can still depend on them. They were still thinking of another way to let people know about them Creatures.

Their last experiment was to see if a Dementor could actually die if their source of food is cut off. Curiously, it didn’t affect in any way other Creatures so they left it in the Forest totally forgotten, until that day.

After hearing their explanation, Draco looked so unimpressed and fed up that he just huffed and left.

Luna went back to packing and Iolanthe went to check on her Husband, who only suffered the side-effects of a Dementor instead of being directly attacked. Call her selfish but Iolanthe was glad for that.

When it came time for Luna to leave, Iolanthe and Draco sent her off from the Parlour not before leaving those words to Iolanthe and then she was gone in a lick of green flames. Draco shrugged her words off but Iolanthe, who had already experienced the type of advice Luna provided, took them to heart.

It wasn’t until she was being scolded by her Husband that she understood her friend’s words. She was used to doing things her way, but most of all, she was used to being blamed for things and immediately take responsibility for the bad things that happened to people around her. It was worse if she thought she could have stopped them from happening.

She felt it unfair at first. She thought him ungrateful and wanted to hex him from here to Sunday and back but when she truly listened to his words, she couldn’t help compare their lives. In a way, they grew up the same, making their own decisions, fighting to live and not wanting to be protected. Because nobody protected them first, they felt they didn’t need it and just had to try and become strong themselves so they wouldn’t burden others.

After being scolded, Iolanthe could have done many things.

According to tradition, if she felt that she was being unjustly scolded, she could have done like the Blacks and hex him silly -Black women didn’t take shit from anybody, not even from their Husbands. Or, she could have done like the Potters and just leave her Husband until he came back apologizing on his knees -Potter women were many things, but pushovers was not one. Instead she chose the Peverell way (taking into account that the scolding was just) and meekly submitted to him and asked for reassurance.

It may look cowardly but let not be said that it was the best disarming method against an angry Husband. It left him with nothing to say to the action apart from being baffled expecting retaliation. It left the Wife open to anything he might do next but not completely defenseless as her position hid her wand in case he got violent. But taking into account that Reborn was already confused by his Wife’s sudden meek actions, it was almost impossible for him to do something against such a pitiful sight. Unless the man was a complete heartless scumbag.

Iolanthe gambled and won. She was ready to cry if possible. If Slytherins were cunning, Peverells were master manipulators; it was such a shame she discovered their ways too late.

Now that they were comfortably ensconced in their bed, she could analyze the way she reacted and what she could do to solve the problem. She was not naïve enough to consider the issue forgotten and she was not going to let the matter fester. So she infused chicken blood to her fragile heart and spoke.

“Would you hear me out, Husband?” Iolanthe despaired hearing her voice crack.

“Always.” The answer bitterly reminded her of Severus Snape but also gave her the confidence to say what she was going to say.

“Whatever the Dementor made you listen, use it as the force needed to face your fears and bad thoughts,” she felt him stiffen in her arms but didn’t let him talk. “Dementors make you face your worst fears and the moments you felt the most helpless, they feed from your happy thoughts and leave you with the bad ones. The first time I faced a Dementor I heard my Mom cry out my name before she was murdered. I heard how she begged the same Dark Lord I defeated to spare me and kill her instead, she begged and begged saying over and over ‘Not Iolanthe, kill me instead, have mercy’. But he didn’t have mercy and killed her before attempting to kill me too.”

She choked back a sob as she felt small arms circling her waist.

“I was always told that my Mom’s love was what saved me from being killed and instead destroyed Lord Voldemort’s body. For a long time, I thought so too and it wasn’t until I learned about one of the Forbidden Magicks, Sacrificial Magic, that I knew otherwise. The usage of this Magick left me with the ultimate protection as long as both my parents sacrificed their lives, and they did. My Dad didn’t even fight back and let the Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra, hit him squarely in his chest giving my Mom enough time to activate the ritual. Her begging became her chanting and him killing her was the trigger for the protection. So, when Lord Voldemort turned to kill me, Mother Magic retaliated for the offence on the Magic just practiced destroying his body.”

“Why would this Lord Voldemort kill a baby?”  

“There was a prophecy that said that a child born as the seventh month dies would have the power to vanquish the Dark Lord. My parents decided to stop fighting when they knew my Mom was pregnant of me but it wasn’t until Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts Headmaster and witness of the prophecy, convinced them to hide as he feared the prophecy referred to either me or another child since both of us were due to late July or the beginning of August.”

“My parents didn’t stay idle after hiding; they casted a Fidelius Charm over their house. Said charm hides you completely from anybody, the idea is that people forget what the Charm is protecting, like a secret. And that secret is only known by the Secret Keeper. As my parents were the ones that casted the Charm they could only choose someone else to be their Secret Keeper. My Dad trusted his best friend, Sirius Black, with their safety and it went on like that even after I was born on July 31st, past my first birthday and during the peak of the war.”

“You were still attacked, did he betray you?” Iolanthe felt a smile form on her lips hearing the anger in his voice.

She shook her head, “Many believed the same, that’s why he was sent to Azkaban, the Wizarding prison infested of Dementors, to serve a life sentence. He was also accused of being a Death Eater murdering another wizard and twelve Muggles -non-magical people. He wasn’t even given a trial before being thrown to rot in that place. Sirius endured twelve years in a freezing cell being surrounded by soul-sucking monsters and being jeered by the other prisoners, mainly Bellatrix Lestrange his own cousin; he endured it knowing he was innocent and vowing revenge.”

“But how?” She snickered by his incredulity.

“He was framed. My parents had another friend called Peter Pettigrew,” she spat the name as if it was something vile. “My Godfather, blessed his Gryffindor soul, had the smart idea of changing the Secret Keeper. He reasoned that with being James Potter’s best friend, it was too obvious he was their Secret Keeper so he proposed to change the real Secret Keeper and he would act as a decoy. So they asked their other friend, Pettigrew, to be the Secret Keeper to which he accepted. Little they knew that said friend had already defected to the other side and easily sold them to the Dark Lord. When Sirius knew about the attack on the Potters he swore revenge on Pettigrew but the sniveling, spineless coward escaped after blowing a gas pipe killing those Muggles and scurrying away in the form of a rat.”

“Why were people looking for your family? Why was the Dark Lord looking for your family? How did he become aware there was a prophecy when only this Albus Dumbledore knew about it?” Iolanthe couldn’t help feel respect for her Husband’s keen mind and being able to hear between lines.

“That was the work of Severus Snape. He eavesdropped on the conversation and subsequent prophecy between Seer Sybil Trelawney and the Headmaster. He was young and wanting to prove his worth to the only one who saw his potential, the Dark Lord. He immediately regretted his decision when the Dark Lord targeted the Potters. He loved my mom, had done so for many years that he made a deal with Lord Voldemort, ‘kill the man and the baby but leave the woman alive’. But for all the time Severus Snape and my mother were friends, he still didn’t understand that she would not be the same if the man she loved and the baby she happily carried for nine months were murdered and she was left alive. Neither of my parents would forgive themselves if that happened.”

“What happened to you afterwards?” Once again Iolanthe marveled at her Husband’s intelligence as he surmised that the reason she spoke was not to tell the story of how her parents died.

“My life with people who hated me began. The Headmaster foolishly thought that leaving me with my Mom’s sister due to us sharing blood would protect me from any rogue Death Eater. I actually didn’t need to be left there, but he had plans for me after that prophecy and seeing I survived the Killing Curse. Staying with those people was only a way to mold me to become a love-starved child who would selflessly and readily throw away her life for people who couldn’t decide if they loved or hated her. And it worked.”

“Iolanthe.” Her name was voiced with so much grief that it almost made her cry.

“The moment I stepped into that house I was instantly considered a pariah, something foul to be hidden from others as if ashamed and be called Freak just because I had Magic. I was treated like a slave, serving them and doing their chores for the meagre food they gave in return. I even thought my name was Freak until I entered school, where I learned it was Iolanthe Jamie Potter. I believed that school would be different; after all, nobody knew me but how wrong I was. It turned out my Aunt and Uncle had already fed people lies about me, saying I was a trouble child and they should keep an eye on me all the time.”

“I tried to make friends but my cousin would always chase them away, and the ones brave enough to still hang out with me were chased away by my Magic. It frightened them. It frightened me too. Aunt Petunia knew what I was but she never bothered to explain and I just wanted to be normal, to be loved, that I tried as best as I could to hide my Magic. It never worked. It would always lash out as if telling me what a fool I was for not accepting it. I even foolishly and naively, like any other kid, tried to please my relatives, for them to see that I was not the Freak they thought me to be but just another normal child like my cousin so I got very good grades on my first exams and proudly presented them. I got a pan in the head and no food for two days for outsmarting my cousin who was a complete dunce.”

“ _Vorrei poterli uccidere_ _.”_ He said with gritted teeth. Iolanthe didn’t understand but she could guess it was nothing good for her relatives.

“It went on like that until I was eleven. Me being treated as a slave, me being neglected and half-starved, me getting beatings when I displayed Magic, me being friendless and unloved, me desiring for someone to accept me as I was, see who I was, not the Freak, the problem child. Just Iolanthe.”

…

Reborn would have lived in vain if he didn’t understand where Iolanthe was going with all she said. He didn’t have a Ph.D. for nothing! (Even if it was in Mathematics) So, he helped her vent, making clever questions to keep the story flowing. He was sure she needed to tell someone her story. If he suddenly felt the urge to go killing a couple of people then that was beside the point. Right now, his Wife needed him.

“What happened at eleven?” Most likely she entered that Magical school Hogwarts but he still asked.

“I received my Hogwarts letter. I was happy because I received something to my name, I thought that someone knew me and would take me away from my personal Hell. I was right and wrong at the same time. I did spend months away from the house but was forced to return for the summer. I discovered I had lots of money so I thought I could rent a place and leave my relatives for good but I was slapped awake from my dream by the Headmaster telling me there were people who still wanted to harm me. Like the gullible child I was, I reckoned I was cared for and that whatever I was told was the right decision.”

“Nothing changed after you entered the Wizarding World then?” Reborn occupied his hand with the ribbon the baby pink silk nightgown his Wife was wearing had around her bosom. If it wasn’t such a serious discussion, he would already have pawed her assets. He was only able to feel how narrow her waist was when he hugged her but that was not enough for his lustful heart.

“Absolutely nothing. I went from being the unwanted Freak that lived in a cupboard under the stairs to the Girl-Who-Lived, a celebrity that until then had no idea wizards and witches existed and had become famous because she was left an orphan. The Wizarding World had no tact and I accepted it all in stride because there were many things I was busy with in this new world that I didn’t notice nobody was paying attention to the real me. And the Headmaster played his hand well, he made me feel needed, wanted, that it was my duty to fight against a wizard many years my senior with only six years of schooling and hiding important information from me.”

Alright so no hiding anything from her. He would always answer truthfully to any question she ever asked him, unless it was too embarrassing to say. Talk and listen, that’s what he vowed when they got married.

“The only good thing that came from those years were the many people I met and befriended, even if they would scorn me at times. It may have been manipulated, but my feelings of wanting to protect all the people that I considered dear was genuine to me. For all that I hated the teachers for never listening to me, the Headmaster for forcing me to such situation and not telling me everything I needed to know, myself for being led by the nose without noticing, I would never hate those kids. I would never force them to face the horrors I faced, to make them fight when they needed to be sheltered, I wanted to let them still be the innocent children I never was.”

Reborn could only feel respect for this woman. She went through so much but still managed to remain so pure, so full of love, so ready to accept, to help that he felt he didn’t deserve her. He couldn’t conceive how such an adorably caring person could be born from all that pain, that hate, that grief.

“But war never sees age, status or gender. I taught those innocent kids to fight, to defend themselves. My Godfather, who had escaped from prison, died because the Headmaster once again hid information from me. People were disappearing. We didn’t know who was friend and who was foe. I dropout from school to go on a quest the Headmaster left me before he died. My friends and I suffered on that journey, we were pursued, tortured, we were living every day on adrenaline until we successfully completed it. The final battle occurred, many people died, some of them the kids I taught to fight. Then, I was left hanging. Snape once said that I was raised like a pig to the slaughter and he was right. I died.”

“I see you very much alive.” He retorted trying to lighten up the mood a bit, she was too pretty to look so gloomy. His efforts were rewarded with a snort.

“That was the result of another Forbidden Magic. Soul Magic. In an attempt to become immortal, Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort, created the foulest artifacts in existence, Horcruxes. He created six and thanks to them, no matter how many times we would have destroyed his body, he would never die since his soul would be anchored to this plane through the Horcruxes. Our quest was to destroy those artifacts but what the Headmaster once again failed to tell me was that I was one of them. The night Lord Voldemort went to kill me for the first time, his body was destroyed and a piece of his already fractured soul lodged in me.”

That sounded so disgusting he refused to think about it. Instead he focused on the information he was provided. “So, this Headmaster planned for you to be killed all this time.” The truth hit him like a 5t hammer. What a vicious and cunning man!

“Yes, and like the self-sacrificing idiot I was, I went and got killed.”

_Oh, Albus Dumbledore, if you weren’t dead I would kill you myself!_

“But what died instead was the part that was invading my soul, the leech, Voldemort’s soul. I did go to limbo and decided to return to give myself a chance at living a real life. That’s what I’m trying to do. Live my life as Iolanthe, be myself and never live under strangers’ expectations again. I lost my first friends because of that decision yet I gained others who truly saw me for who I really was. Just Iolanthe.”

After that, they stayed in silence lost in their thoughts. Reborn believed she was never going to be ‘just Iolanthe’; there would always be a title attached to her, it was Freak at the beginning, then it was Girl-Who-Lived, to finally become Lady Potter, Regent Lady Black and Duchess Peverell, yet he understood that despite all the glorified titles on her head, what she desired most is to be like any normal woman, with normal problems and a normal lifestyle. That brought them to the million-dollars question.

“What do you want from me, Iolanthe?”

Because after all this woeful story of her life, there must be something else. All this was born from the scolding he gave her. He understood her past now, what happened to result in the amazing woman he was in bed with. But what does she really want? Untangling himself from her arms, he intensely looked at her, waiting for her answer.

“Huh?” _Now, don’t get all shy on me_ , he thought seeing her red and flustered face.

“I listened to you. I now know what made you who you are today, but what do you want me to do with this information? I assume you don’t want my pity or anything like that, right?”

“What? No! I, I…” she stuttered and taking a breath to calm down, a determined expression entered her eyes. Good, that was the type of woman he liked the most. “The result of this is that my whole life I grew up to be an emotionally manipulated and stunted person. That many times I will not know what to do with my feelings or totally close off. I will overreact or blame myself for things that are not my fault. I am learning to express myself better but there will be times I will fall back to my old self. What I want from you is to teach me or rather learn together what to do in this marriage. I am as lost as you may be feeling so… so, don’t be afraid to let me know when I’m being silly or overreacting. I, I want this to work out as much as the next marriage…”

Meaning, she wanted to love and be loved like any other married couple do. Reborn inwardly sighed, he couldn’t promise her to love her but he could like her as a person, he already did and if love bloomed, then… he would get to that when he was faced with it. No need to think of ifs right now.

“I promise to do my best to make this work out.” And to seal his promise he indulged in one of his desires and pecked his Wife’s lips. “Sleep, it’s already late” He announced before burrowing back to her bosom and directly fell asleep leaving a dazed Iolanthe to deal with her messy thoughts by herself.


	11. So last century but just what I need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn receives the talk from Draco and he decides he's ready for the next step, though Portrait Sirius and Portrait Remus won't let him have it easy on his venture.  
> The British Community finally knows Iolanthe Potter is married.   
> Letters and visits arrive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a skip in time!   
> And also there is a minor reaction of the British people to Iolanthe's marriage and the Media starts to attack.

* * *

 

The following days Draco felt that something was wrong, terribly wrong, however he couldn’t figure out what it was.

Apart from that argument Iolanthe and her Husband had when he declared he wanted to go back to the Forest and left Iolanthe sulking against Reborn’s logic (though she still won when she invited herself to their expedition), everything was perfectly normal.

Or as normal as anyone in that House could be. Reborn kept torturing poor Dino in the name of training, Iolanthe and him kept fighting over their research, Kreacher kept being the grumpy little shit he was and Draco assumed Lovegood was still dense enough to notice that Rolf Scamander has been courting her for a year.

It wasn’t until a Sunday, when everybody was lazy and woke up late, that he realized what was wrong.

He walked down to the kitchen and saw that he was the last to join for breakfast -breakfast that was still being made by Iolanthe when he arrived anyway. He greeted the occupants on the table; Reborn was busying himself reading the newspaper -that he obsessed on reading after he discovered there was a Wizarding Newspaper-, Dino was trying and failing miserably to keep himself from falling asleep on his tea and Draco swore he heard Reborn lowly cackle every time Dino’s nose took a dip on the tea and burnt it with the scalding beverage.

So, yeah, everything was normal until he heard it. Humming, someone was humming. He glanced at Reborn but it was not him, he was cackling, Dino was half-asleep and Draco wouldn’t be surprised if he snored all of a sudden, so that left… His teacup hit the saucer louder than it was polite and that garnered Reborn’s curious gaze and Dino’s confused one yet he ignored them.

“Iolanthe are you singing?” That made her turn and smile at him; wrong, she beamed at everybody in the table as if life couldn’t be more perfect. “Morgana’s saggy tits, you are singing,” Draco confirmed. Dino choked on his tea and Reborn covered his face with the newspaper not hiding on time the smile on his face.

“Come now, Draco, I am only humming.” She replied serving breakfast before sitting.

“Thank Salazar for that,” he mumbled grabbing toast and eggs.

“Well, sorry for trying to liven up your miserable life,” she pouted. “It even was one of your favorites.”

He looked at her with a deadpanned look, “Last time you tried to liven up my miserable life, you took Lovegood and me to a concert of The Weird Sisters. We got so drunk I don’t even know how we came back in one piece.” Iolanthe laughed out loud at being reminded of the occurrence. That was a couple of months after they managed to get their N.E.W.T.s.

“Many things happened that night.” She said wistfully.

“It was all good at the beginning but when Firewhiskey was passed down, it all went to Hell. A group of drunk dwarves were being thrown around the place, a man set fire to the stage and got thrown out by security, a banshee somehow was smuggled into the place and knocked out a fifth of the audience before being repelled by an Auror who was also attending. Instead of being taken to the hospital, someone thought it was a good idea to use a Sticking Charm on the unconscious people, so they spent the rest of the concert stuck on the ceiling.”

“I know! It was so much fun! I remember a drunkard flirting with you thinking you were his mate. I think the man was a werewolf.” She said with so much mirth that their audience was looking and hearing with interest.

“Damn mutt kept sniffing on me and saying I was as pretty as the moon,” Iolanthe forced down another laugh as she was still chewing her food but her shoulders still shook. “Remember there was a moment we lost sight of Lovegood?” She nodded. “I found her chatting with a Hag about how inappropriate and rude it was to eat children and that she better pull herself together or she would present her to a Ghoul she knew to make a happy family.”

Iolanthe, by then, was pounding the table and her whole body shook. Reborn and Dino were having fun seeing her reactions.

Then she said. “There was also that moment you went to the restrooms and seeing as you were taking too long I went to look for you with Luna, we found you bowing to one of the posters of one of the band’s member as if it was Hippogriff and asking if you could ride on his back. You even assured the poster you had practiced from the last time.” Draco was so embarrassed he wanted to die. But he was not a Slytherin if he was going to endure this alone, if he fell, she would too.

“But nothing like you throwing your bra to Donaghan proclaiming he was the love of your life, disregarding the fact he had been married since our Fifth Year.”

“Draco, you son of a Troll! Shut up!” Draco laughed while dodging the hexes she threw at him. He noticed that she didn’t look nervous or wanting to hide that incident and chanced a look at her Husband just to freeze and being unable to avoid the Melofors Jinx. His head was encased in a pumpkin but that helped him hide his stunned expression.

Iolanthe’s Husband instead of looking irritated or unhappy by her actions, just looked at her with a fond and indulgent gaze as if he was the epitome of dotting Husband. The man needed the talk, and he wouldn’t be a Malfoy if he didn’t properly teach the man his duties. Draco vanished the pumpkin and leveled a serious gaze on Reborn who only raised an eyebrow at him.

“Lord Potter, if we may speak in private, please?” The silence that followed was tense. Iolanthe wanted to say something but a look from Draco made her stop. Dino looked from Draco to Reborn not knowing what was going on. Draco cleaned his face for any residues of the pumpkin and politely excused himself from the table. He didn’t wait for Reborn to be done with his breakfast and trusted the cursed man to follow him.

Draco went up the stairs towards the third floor and then into the study, he left the door opened and not even five seconds later he heard it being closed.

“What do you want to talk about?” Draco inwardly nodded at the seriousness on Reborn’s voice acknowledging it was an important matter. He also approved his action of taking a seat on one of the armchairs by the hearth first and then motioning Draco to take the other one in front; it seemed Iolanthe hadn’t been slacking in her teachings but there were things that couldn’t be taught by a woman.

“It’s not me you need to talk to but Sirius Black.” As soon as Draco announced the name, the man appeared on his portrait.

“What? Why did you call me? Something happened to my pup?” And the moment he appeared he acted like the worrying father that was needed in this type of conversation.

“Mr. Black, I believe Lord Potter wants to properly court Lady Potter but is not aware of the Traditions.” Draco stated bluntly making both portrait and cursed man stiffen.

“He wants to what?” Once again, Draco was reminded why the Blacks were considered a powerful and prominent Family before their falling in numbers and status. The man, even if dead and only a construction of paint and magic, could still cower someone with his demeanor.

“Seeing as their marriage was done under duress, so to say, they were not allowed to meet each other beforehand. However, according to the Pureblood Traditions on Marriage, they are permitted to court even after their union if they see each other agreeable. Iolanthe cannot teach him about those Traditions since a woman is not allowed to start a courtship. You, Mr. Black, as the closest Magical relative she has and retains sentience in one way or another, are the only one who can accept Lord Potter’s request to formally court your Goddaughter.”

 

…

 

Reborn had to reconsider his opinion on Draco Malfoy. Nobody, not even his own Wife, had noticed the developing feelings of fondness he had of her. She wasn’t hard to like; she was a very lovable woman, stubborn, but very lovely. She always provided amusement, didn’t fuss, her food was good, was not afraid of cuddling and always responded marvelously to his teasing. So, no, it was not that complicated to like her.

What was complicated was to take her out on a date.

As soon as everybody and their sister knew about their marriage –because yes, there was a Wizarding Newspaper that Draco had slapped on Iolanthe’s face when the news came out-, thousands of letters, dropped by owls, inundated the Drawing Room and gave grumpy Kreacher work to do. He didn’t really feel sorry for the elf though, the thing kept calling him ‘Filthy Master’ so no, he was glad the elf got to sort the innumerable letters.

Most of which were asking Iolanthe who her Husband was, from which Family, which country, which Lordship, how much money he had, what he did, will she ever present him to the whole British Community. There were even some letters which had some daring proposals like a wild threesome in a forest, some others were just plain weird like that one woman who had offered to give birth to their babies just so she could be part of the Potter Family. Reborn seriously didn’t know what to think of that.

There were very few letters that Iolanthe kept, mostly from people she knew. She even gave a second glance to those formal letters asking her to attend a formal gala to introduce him formally to the Pureblood circle. She kept those for later since they were genuine invitations from renown Families and as a Lady she had to reply. Iolanthe wasn’t really a big fan of the Media so she had to carefully think what she could reveal to the public -it was better than having wild rumors spreading around. Reborn appreciated that from her as he didn’t want to be recognized by people.

That was not the purpose of a Hitman.

Apart from the letters, Reborn even had the pleasure -not- to meet Iolanthe’s first friends. They were a bushy-haired woman that scolded Iolanthe for not telling them about her marriage, that they missed the wedding, none of the Weasleys were invited, ‘why are you distancing yourself so much?’ And a tall lanky red-haired man that said pretty much the same as the woman: ‘don’t be a stranger, mate’ ‘should have at least invited my Mom’ ‘did the slimy git of Malfoy know before us?’. Reborn would have almost missed that enmity if it weren’t for the glares the red-haired man kept sending Draco. Almost.

Then came the loudest woman he had ever have the displeasure to hear. It was apparently that red-haired man’s Mom. Iolanthe got another scolding for trying to keep secrets to the family, that they would have loved to attend the wedding, complaint here, complaint there. Iolanthe, such a saint she was, took it all in stride and tried to appease them all.

All in all, they were unpleasant people to Reborn. They didn’t even bring any gifts to congratulate them or said anything in that line before leaving claiming they had work or lunch to do. They didn’t even pay any attention to him, the so-called Husband they were complaining she was keeping secret when he was there witnessing his Wife being drowned in spit.

The only visit he enjoyed was from one Andromeda Tonks and her grandson Teddy Lupin, Iolanthe’s Godson. The first person she noticed in the room was Reborn. The scrutiny almost left him naked but she elegantly walked in front of him and made the proper curtsey as a daughter of House Black to her new Lord. Then she greeted Iolanthe a little more amicably and finally gave a nod to Draco. Teddy was a bundle of joy running from one place to another and changing hair color as if it was normal in the world. It was normal for him as a Metamorphmagus as he was explained. A trait of the Black Family.

Reborn found the kid extremely interesting, and more when said kid imitated his hair, curly sideburns and everything. Never before had Reborn noticed that his hair was truly a spiky mess. He was teased by Iolanthe saying Teddy looked very much like his son. Reborn refused thinking about it, for now. Then it was all a competition between the kid and Leon on who could shapeshift to what. It was very fun to see.

Andromeda Tonks did bring a gift that his Wife refused to show him and he just deduced it was some  naughty lingerie. Andromeda became his favorite person after that.

After receiving the visits, they went back to the letters. From the ones she kept, she even received potted flowers that meant ‘Have a happy marriage’ in the language of flowers. She hurriedly explained him that the flowers came from a friend from school, some Neville Longbottom, that loves Herbology and would always gift plants and flowers to people. She looked so flustered that he took pity on her and pacified her with a peck on her cheek. That made her descend into her usual state of absentmindedness every time he pecked her.

She better prepare herself when he could properly kiss her. She won’t even remember her name.

He loved the Chaos the news brought; everybody wanted to know him and many speculations were made. The articles even said he was some tycoon from some other country, or that he was the king of a small community somewhere in the world. The one that caused outrage was the article that revealed his name and even more letters rained on them asking Iolanthe for an explanation. According to the article, there was no Pureblood Family with his surname so it was assumed he was either a Halfblood, Muggleborn or a plain Muggle.

Needless to say, nobody was happy and wanted an explanation. That’s why going out would make reporters fall on them like vultures on a corpse. They had already hounded Draco when he went to Diagon Alley to buy some Potions ingredients. He looked so haggard when he came back that Iolanthe laughed for hours and was hexed to wear antlers for a day. Sirius couldn’t shut up about how beautiful her ‘Prongslet’ looked.

So, no going out on a date unless they wanted to remain locked in another house owned by her to change the scenery. He found it incredulous that reporters would find them wherever they went and Iolanthe helpfully showed him the error of his thought. Under a nifty Cloak that made them Invisible, everywhere they went, there was at least one Magical around. It was a bit creepy and he didn’t know how they did it. Not even Muggle places were safe for them!

That only left them to have peaceful dates inside the house.

But that was not good enough for Reborn, so he was left to ponder what he could do to show he was interested in her and that’s when Draco came like a godsent. A courtship! That sounded so last century and just what he needed. It was all about giving gifts with a certain meaning to woo a woman, right? He had so many ideas of what to give her. He could-

“No!” And all his plans went down the drain by Sirius Black’s refusal. He gritted his teeth and looked at the portrait so balefully but that just made Sirius enjoy Reborn’s reaction even more.

“Why not?” They were already married, Sirius Black couldn’t be so petty to deny his own Goddaughter a chance to have a normal marriage like she wanted.

“Because I can say so!” Not only petty but childish too. But before Reborn could tell him where he could shove his refusal, another man appeared in the portrait and slapped Black’s head. This man looked like Black, sick and tired as if carrying the whole world on his shoulders. His hair was a light shade of brown with a few silver patches, his eyes were amber-colored and his face was scarred, though that didn’t prevent the kind features from showing. “Ouch, Moony, what did you do that for? Can’t you see I’m trying to intimidate my Godson-in-law!”

Moony. Remus Lupin, if he wasn’t mistaken. Iolanthe spoke fondly of him. Another of her Father’s friends, the reason why they all became Animagi -or wizards able to transform into an animal. This man was a werewolf and is Teddy Lupin’s father. He died together with his Wife, Teddy’s mother – Nymphadora Tonks, another Metamorphmagus- during that Final Battle.

“Stop being a nuisance,” he scolded Black. Reborn was liking this man. “Now, tell us what makes you think you are worthy of our Iolanthe.” Or maybe not. The amber eyes looking piercingly at him made Reborn sweat. If he was a lesser man, he would have already run for the hills. His eyes were this terrifying while being a human, he didn’t want to imagine how they looked while in his lupine form.

Reborn took a fortifying breath without letting them notice and looked at both men in the portrait directly to their faces.

“I’m not worthy of her,” he confessed. He trusted this conversation stayed between them or his pride as a man would suffer a great blow. “I am not a good man. I killed my own Father when I was ten. He used to abuse my Mother and I. One day when he was drunk and threatened to kill us, he accidentally pushed my Mother down the stairs breaking her neck. I managed to snatch the gun he had pointed at us and shot him; I never regretted it. I am someone who cannot be responsible for taking care of another person, I lost that right when I pulled the trigger to take away a life. My life is a parallel of Iolanthe’s, we are survivors, orphans that experienced the cruelty of the world; though she was stronger and managed to avoid the darkness, I couldn’t. So no, I’m not worthy of such a pure and beautiful person like her. I can’t protect like her, can’t forgive like her, can’t see the good in people like her but I at least want to protect her, forgive her faults, always see the good in her and hope she does the same with me.”

“OK.” Sirius Black broke the silence that descended in the study. “You can court her and don’t make me regret my decision, you hear me?”

“I will do my best.” Reborn replied with as much gratitude as he could muster.

“Right, so, what do you think he should get her Moony? Obviously only the best for our Prongslet, flowers are too clichéd, and a dinner is too boring, she has more jewels than the Queen… Ah, this is the reason why I never courted a woman, too much things to think about.”

Reborn always marveled at the speed Black changed moods. He was a man you could never take seriously, forgive him the pun. The exasperated look in Lupin told him it was not the first time he did the same but was too used to it that there was nothing he could do about it.

“She likes to collect rare objects.” Draco interjected giving his own suggestion. “Every time she travels, she brings many souvenirs from the places she visits. You would think she goes as a tourist, instead of work.”

“What about the Traditions?”

“Well, following the Traditions to the letter is a bit boring, so do something more interesting.” Black dismissed.

“What about doing something that represents each House?” Reborn could now see why Lupin was the best Marauder in her Father’s group. That face that couldn’t even hurt a fly but that mind that could think a million and one ways to prank you was pure gold. “Like, do something worth of a Black, I don’t know much about the Peverells so I can’t help you there but you can do something mad like a Potter.” Yeah, a devilish mind, alright.

“Like that time James dedicated all the goals he scored during a Quidditch match to Lily but she wasn’t even there to watch the game! He even yelled her name for all to hear. Man, that was embarrassing.” Black barked a laugh at the memory.

“Or that time during Valentine’s Day. He waited for Lily to appear right in front of the girl’s dormitories stairs to confess his undying love and ask her out on a date. He waited the whole morning without knowing she had spent the night in the Hospital Wing and he earned a week of detention for skipping classes.” Lupin added with mirth on his face.

Just how madly in love was this James Potter for Lily Potter? He sounded like a fool who could only cry out his love in fear the woman would not notice him but instead ended up being embarrassed by the situations he alone got himself into.

“So, it’s something worth of a Black, something… mad like a Potter and…” Draco trailed off then firmly looked at Reborn. “Peverells were known in the Pureblood circle for one of the Forbidden Magicks, Necromancy.” The Sun Arcobaleno was taken aback by that tidbit of information. Iolanthe hadn’t told him much about the Peverells. “I’m not asking you to go raise the dead or rob a tomb but there is something you could do for her that abides to Peverell Tradition. Help her make peace with someone who is dead.”

“Who?” However he was going to make that he didn’t know but at least he should know the person.

“Severus Snape.” Well, he was in deep shit. Iolanthe always said unsavory things about the man and if he hadn’t noticed the lack of hate or resentment in which she talked about him, he would have thought he was her worst enemy. There was a story between those two but she always closed off when asked about it. Now, with Draco’s prompting, he realized she was running away.

“Where can I find him?” The tomb or something.

“He has a portrait in Hogwarts in the Headmaster’s office,” Ah, yes, he was a Headmaster for one year after Albus Dumbledore was killed by the same man that succeeded him. He wasn’t aware every Headmaster got a portrait. Iolanthe made him sound like someone not suitable to be around children, so him being a teacher and Headmaster were outlandish concepts for Reborn. Not that teachers in the Mafia Academy were any better from what he had heard, but still.

“So you want me to help them make peace with each other and get along?” He asked dubiously

“At least make peace. They would never see eye-to-eye, that’s how stubborn they are.” Draco relented. Reborn nodded and noticed how Black and Lupin remained silent during their exchange and surmised there was another story there. They neither approved nor disapproved of Draco’s suggestion. “You can begin thinking what you can do so Mother Magic approves your intentions towards Iolanthe with your actions. Gifts can be given any time you want, you are just missing the most important courtship gift.”

“Which is…?”

“Why, my dear Godson-in-law, of course it’s a ring. You are married yet haven’t given her a ring? How can I be reassured you will treat my little Flower sincerely when you haven’t gotten on your knee and presented a ring?” Black never failed to insert his own humor to the conversation.

“Get her a pretty ring and we will acknowledge your courtship.” Lupin confirmed.

And that’s how all four of them discussed the ring’s design and what gems it needed to be inlaid with, if extra charms were needed or not, if they needed to contact the best Jeweler in the world or if a local British one was enough, if the ring needed to be as expensive as the next NASA project or something modest to not burden Iolanthe and her penchant for rejecting valuable objects.

When they were done discussing, Reborn went to look for his Wife and found her in the library buried under a mountain of books and parchment. There was a smudge of ink on her cheek she hadn’t noticed because she had been dazedly looking out the window for who knows how long. She always did that when she was thinking about something, that or she bit her bottom lip. Either was a sight to see for Reborn.

She finally noticed him staring at her and smiled then stood up. Reborn greedily took in her figure clad in the rather casual and harmless white robe with a flowery pattern if one ignored the messily and sexy off the shoulder style that could show a very enticing cleavage with the right angle and the extremely eye-catching slit in the middle that showed her milky legs with a mere breeze. The messy bun in her head just added to her charm -because Reborn sincerely had no way to keep himself focused while doing her hair before such a sight in the morning.

Right, gift and events, better think of the gifts and events… Maybe he should try and contact an expert in the subject of embarrassing himself for a woman.

Shamal.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter:  
> A view of the days after the Dementor attack from Dino's side.


	12. Dino's days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dino finally learns about the Wizarding World, Reborn's marriage, not to be in the middle of the couple's spats and how his evil tutor does Mafia stuff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a whole Dino chapter! 
> 
> PLEASE READ: this chapter includes the days after the Forest incident and the days after Reborn and Draco have the conversation about the courtship.   
> Just so you know more or less the timeline, though this timeline is a mess xD So I will be constantly reminding you when in the timeline we are to avoid confusion (I hope).

* * *

Dino thought he was in Heaven or Hell depending how one looked at it. Since that time in the Forest where he was told he almost died nothing was the same.

He learned a community of witches and wizards lived in Britain and other parts of the world; meaning, that the pretty lady, Miss Iolanthe, and the regal looking man, Draco, were Magical people. That the Forest they went into was not an illusion like what Mists could do but it was one hundred percent real made from a combination of Runes and Arithmancy, something pretty advanced and hard to make. But the most horrifying news was that Reborn, Sun Arcobaleno, petty man, and the devil was married to lovely, caring and beautiful Miss Iolanthe.

If that was not the end of the world, he didn’t know what was. Sincerely, Dino didn’t know what to think anymore. He just sat down to digest the news. Draco, who had told him about the marriage while doing a check-up, tactfully left him alone. Though he was too tactful when Dino realized he had been mulling about Reborn’s marriage from morning to night without someone to console him. He gave up, all men were heartless. In the end, it was Miss Iolanthe who was the best when she cooked dinner for him that night.  

He still got the fright of his life on breakfast, the day after the whole Forest debacle, when he witnessed Reborn and Miss Iolanthe in a rather compromising position but let out a sigh of relief understanding the situation; it turned out Miss Iolanthe got something in her eye and Reborn was helping her get it out. Dino almost fainted on the spot. He was invited to join them when they noticed him and he did so with trepidation but relaxed when they left him alone and went back to their own world.

That was until Miss Iolanthe asked about his health and he stuttered to answer he was fine. But she just had to make his tutor’s wrath fall on him when she said -no matter how good her intentions- that she would be checking him up to make sure no other effects from the… Dementor lingered in him. He wanted to shout he was fine just so he could avoid the murderous gaze from Reborn.

So, after breakfast, they moved to the Sunroom, got comfortable and she began to check him up. Dino continuously glanced at Reborn to know if he had to run for his life or not but he worried for nothing when she only swished her wand, chanted a few things and paper appeared out of thin air. She read the papers and nodded, pleased with the results.

“You are perfectly healthy, no side-effects in your body or system after having your soul extracted from your body,” Dino shivered when he remembered how he felt in the presence of that Creature. Never again. “Now, I want to make a final test, it will be a mind test. This might be uncomfortable for you as a first timer but the purpose of this test is to see if your mind has any damage from the Dementor. To put it simply, I will enter your mind, and I will just need you to tell me if you feel my presence there, that will ensure your notion of self and memories are intact in your mind.”

Wait, what? People could do that?

“No, no, it’s ok. My mind feels fine, you don’t have to!” Anything but having her inside his mind, what if she sees an embarrassing memory of him or hears the comments he had made of her?! That would be so mortifying!

“Dino.” He straightened at her tone of voice, he almost felt as if he was in front of his Father. “A Dementor’s attack is nothing to scoff at or dismiss. Constant exposure to this Creature can affect your psyche and leave you insane. The Dementor you faced had been starved for more than two years, it took half the amount it usually takes for a Dementor to extract a soul to extract yours, so I want to make sure you are completely fine.” Dino was not a Sky for nothing and he could perceive that she was feeling guilty about the whole accident. He wasn’t cruel enough to let her consume herself in guilt so he braced himself.

“Alright, you can do the test.” He still didn’t like how his voice shook but he noticed how Reborn nodded in approval at his decision. Pride and confidence filled his heart. It was hard to gain Reborn’s approval, after all.

“Thanks. Just get yourself comfortable and don’t try to resist or you will get a horrible headache at the end of it. Keep eye contact at all cost.”

Dino prepared himself and looked directly into her eyes but just as she was about to do her test, a newspaper slapped her on the face. The whole room fell silent while the offending item slowly slid down her face. She agilely caught it before it fell to the floor and they all turned to look at the door where a haggard-looking Draco stood.

“By Godric, Draco, what happened to you?” She managed to sound concerned for a second before guffawing and laughing so hard she dropped to the floor.

“Yes, laugh it up, Iolanthe. I ended up like this due to you.” Draco took out his own wand and Dino watched fascinated how his clothes arranged themselves and his hair went back to its prim state and not the ruffled and disheveled appearance he had before. “News about your marriage reached the press and knowing I am close to you, dozens of reporters chased me down Diagon to get more information about it. I couldn’t even buy the Potions ingredients we need for the rituals.”

Dino reached for the newspaper but Reborn was faster and snatched it. Miss Iolanthe kept chuckling and was now drying the tears she cried due to laughing too much.

“Yeah, we got the owl from the Ministry this morning telling us they filed our marriage in the Register. So I guessed, today would be the day reporters would start to get crazy, tell me, who was at the vanguard of the mob, Rita Skeeter? I swear I can see some scratches on your face.” She said with a big smile on her face. Dino turned to look at Draco, who had grumpily sat on one of the armchairs, and noticed that indeed, there were faint scratches on his face. “What would sweet Astoria say when she sees you like that?”

“By the time I see her again, they would have already faded.” Draco dismissed.

“I may or may not have asked her to come to make a medical check on Reborn today.” Miss Iolanthe mentioned casually and Dino was convinced why she was Reborn’s Wife. She was really mischievous and it looked like Reborn really likes that side of her from the appreciative glance he sent her.

“You did what?” Draco stood alarmed. “You will pay for this, Iolanthe!” He hurriedly walked out of the room.

“Your Father won’t hear about this?” She asked with a saccharine tone. A jet of light collided with Iolanthe and antlers instantly grew on her head. Instead of making her look silly or the result of a joke, she looked really elegant with those antlers.

“Shut it, Potter!” They heard the man yell. Miss Iolanthe’s cackle was pure evil.

“What was that?” Dino was very curious about Draco and Miss Iolanthe’s relationship. The man lived with her even if she was already married, wasn’t that a bit improper? As Reborn’s student he had to do something to protect his tutor’s honor as a man. Iolanthe stopped feeling her antlers to reply to Dino.

“Ah, we were school rivals and he was such a Daddy’s boy that whenever someone offended him he would say ‘My Father will hear about this!’ or ‘Wait until my Father hears about this!’. It was fun hearing him say that. Though his Father back then really had immense political power, he never did anything, not because he didn’t care about his son but because the man knew he had spoiled him rotten. Draco really looked up to his Father.”

Come to think of it, Miss Iolanthe didn’t have parents? They are never mentioned and she doesn’t seem to talk about them. Dino supposed she lost them and had the tact to not ask. But this story about her friend was safe enough to gossip about.

“So the man is very influential?” What was his son doing here with Miss Iolanthe then?

“Not anymore,” there was a trace of something Dino couldn’t catch on her face. “But that is not my story to tell. I can just tell you that Draco’s life was very tragic, he took all the wrong decisions for the right things, to protect his family.” Her small smile was a bit sad but she quickly wiped it. “Let’s go back to our test.”

Dino composed himself and nodded when he was ready.

“Legilimens!”

Dino felt weird. He could unwillingly see flashes of his memories running in his mind. They were those from the Forest and some from his training with Reborn, all the times he suffered with that evil tutor. At first he didn’t know what was going on but then he felt someone else was going around his mind, peeking at this and looking at that. The presence, thankfully didn’t choose the embarrassing memories but then he realized that this was not normal. The presence kept watching his memories; the ones from the Mafia Academy began to play and he panicked pushing the presence so it would stay away from those memories. It quietly moved away and out of his mind.

The headache was not welcomed but something was shoved down his throat and he coughed. The pain subsided and he was able to look up at Miss Iolanthe’s concerned face.

“Sorry about that. I wasn’t supposed to go that far but you didn’t react so I kept going, luckily you reacted.” She sheepishly explained while helping him sit on an armchair.

“You… you saw things… you weren’t supposed to see…” He stammered feeling exhausted.

“I know about Omertà,” she stated, Dino jolted. “You think I wouldn’t know anything when I’m married to your Best Hitman? Anyway, the Vindice were kind enough to explain me about your world and we set some conditions for my continued existence. No talking about you or your Flames, no going to your World without being accompanied and… what else did they say Reborn?” She turned to the very focused Reborn reading the newspaper.

“Any kid we have that activates their Flames will be introduced to the Mafia.” Reborn absentmindedly replied. Dino looked ready to faint. Reborn with a kid? He couldn’t imagine it. The universe would let him procreate another being like him? Dino prayed for the future generations.

“Yeah, Mr. Jager and Mr. von Veckenschtein were very helpful providing information.” Dino’s eyes widened.

“No way…”

“Oh yeah, Iolanthe cowered them enough until their tongues loosened. You should learn a thing or two from her Stupid-Dino. Your new goal is to intimidate a Vindice, not just become the best Mafia Boss.”

Dino wanted to cry but didn’t have tears to shed. How could Miss Iolanthe be able to intimidate the Vindice? And not just any member but the strongest ones. No wonder she married Reborn.

“Now, Reborn, don’t be too harsh on poor Dino, he is trying his best. I believe he just needs a bit more time and he will become a decent Boss.” No, he didn’t want to become a Boss but he felt warm knowing someone believed in him. That someone being Miss Iolanthe.

“Your kindness knows no bounds, Iolanthe, he is so useless it’s painful to watch.” Unlike his tutor.

But, Dino felt motivated. Miss Iolanthe wasn’t part of the Mafia World and faced the Vindice without an ounce of fear and even managed to interrogate them. He was a Sky, with the potential to be as strong as his Father, he could do it too! Well, not intimidate a Vindice but become an amazing Sky! (He still didn’t want to become a Mafia Boss)

Then all his motivating thoughts flew out the window seeing Reborn flirting with his Wife.

“You think I’m kind?” She shyly asked. Reborn’s eyes glinted and Dino wanted to escape from this horrific scene but forced himself to witness this. It was like watching a horror movie about ponies and rainbows. Maybe he could get some blackmail and escape a few of those punishments.

“Of course, dear Wife. You are the kindest person I’ve ever known.” He replied all serious. Miss Iolanthe blushed and Dino thought it was a pretty sight. He was so dazed by what he was seeing that he missed the mischievous looks Iolanthe and Reborn shared.

“That is very nice of you, Husband. Your student here thinks our marriage is like that of the Beauty and the Beast. I disagree, just what part of you is like a Beast?” Dino felt like a pervert now seeing how her hand gently caressed Reborn’s cheek. He better leave. Let the couple have some privacy.

“Wouldn’t you want to know?” The salacious tone in Reborn’s voice made Dino bolt out of the room with a mighty blush. He didn’t want to hear about that! Nope! No!

His feet blindly took him to a room in the first floor that was a bit austere compared to the other cozy rooms with its huge Fireplace mounted on the left side of the room. The thing spat green flames when he was about to leave and he got into stance, ready to fight, but he faltered when he saw a petite brunette woman coming out from the flames. Damn, were all British women this beautiful?!

They stood there looking at each other.

She was wearing a simple mint dress that reached her ankles showing the boots clad on her feet. Her hair was half-tied and she had fresh features, a small face, limpid eyes, a small pointed nose and rosy lips. He felt their silence was very awkward so he tried to make small talk.

“Hello.” He greeted but she didn’t reply. Well, it became even more awkward. He was saved from the embarrassing situation by Draco.

“Astoria,” oh, so this was Astoria. “It’s good to see you.” Draco took her dainty hand and kissed her knuckles, then planted a small kiss on her cheek. Dino despaired; was he the only single person in this House? “Let me present you, this is Dino Cavallone, Iolanthe’s Husband’s student. Dino, this is Astoria of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass, my Fiancée.”

“A pleasure, Mr. Cavallone,” she nodded.

“Dino is ok, Mr. Cavallone is my Father,” when he isn’t doing shady Mafia stuff.

“Come Astoria, Iolanthe is waiting for you.” Draco took her hand and led her to the Sunroom.

Dino was forced to go back and hoped the couple had stopped flirting. His heart couldn’t take such shocks. Luckily, they had stopped and were discussing something in hushed whispers. The moment they entered, another round of presentations was made. Miss Astoria wasn’t surprised to see the toddler form on Reborn so Dino guessed she was informed of his condition.

What came next was idle talk between Draco and Miss Iolanthe about things he didn’t understand and Miss Astoria throwing a litany of spells on Reborn; her wand spitting papers non-stop. Reborn was asked to drop a few drops of blood on a paper Miss Astoria took out from who knows where and both Dino and Reborn marveled at the letters that formed from the droplets of bloods. Reborn did the same twice more and then his medical check-up was over. Barely and hour had passed, were check-ups always this fast? It didn’t look like she made so many tests on Reborn, it couldn’t be over, right?

Miss Astoria explained that from the blood tests she performed, the first was a simple blood test showing the person’s basic information -name, parents, titles from the person, etc. It also showed the person’s abilities but luckily it only showed that Reborn’s Flames were really strong and didn’t present any problems, aside from the Arcobaleno Curse. The second one showed all illnesses and ailments Reborn had had from the moment he was born, the ones he had the potential to develop and the genetic ones he may pass to his children -they also mentioned he had to be vaccined if he wanted to be protected from some Wizarding illnesses. The last one was a fertility test -no embarrassing situation due to his body.

With Magicals being able to discern all that from mere drops of blood, Dino thought their methods were pretty convenient.

After explaining to both Reborn and Miss Iolanthe the results of the whole ordeal, Reborn’s medical check-up was done and all three Magicals left to the library. Something about making a breakthrough with Miss Astoria’s expertise in Healing. Dino was left with his tutor and was immediately slapped in the face with the newspaper.

“Here, study this newspaper Dino and tell me your conclusions.” Reborn demanded and then got himself busy preparing some coffee.

“Is this another lesson?” The silence his question received was enough so Dino started reading the newspaper.

Just from a mere article about a wedding taught him so many things about the Wizarding World and Miss Iolanthe. He thought before that she was an amazing person, but he never thought she would be this acclaimed. Not even Vongola Nono enjoyed this type of recognition. Having dazedly stared at the same page for a couple of seconds, he continued reading before Reborn decided he was slacking off and punished him.

The moment he finished reading even the Sports section, Reborn didn’t wait for him to arrange his thoughts when he asked, “What did you learn from it?”

“Miss Iolanthe is so amazing.” Dino’s mouth blurted out. It’s the first thing that came to his mind after reading countless articles just about her. War Survivor. Girl-Who-Lived. Woman-Who-Conquered. Definitely a better reputation than Nono. He gained a slap from the paper fan for his troubles.

“Focus, Stupid-Dino, what did you learn from the newspaper?” Dino composed himself and noticing the serious expression in his tutor he couldn’t help imitating him.

“Sorry, yeah, so… The Wizarding World has gone through war recently, one where Miss Iolanthe was one of the main characters. She defeated the leader of the Dark faction, called Lord Voldemort. Something must have been going on for her to be thrown into that type of conflict so young yet that wasn’t clearly explained in the articles. Next, the Wizarding World itself is very structured, it even has a Ministry and its own Minister with all the required Departments to smoothly run their community. Despite the Ministry being all-inclusive in its methods of employment as of late, there exists a well-hidden or most likely ignored situation where the ones who really have the power are the members of the Wizengamot or those Lords and Ladies from affluent families like Miss Iolanthe.”

“Half the population that consists of ‘Purebloods’ discriminates towards those they consider lesser, like ‘Blood Traitors’, ‘Mudbloods’ or Muggleborns, ‘Halfbreeds’ or those with Creature blood and some Creatures itself like House-elves. This Abraham Selwyn was very vocal in his views and makes me wonder why he’s allowed to spout such vitriol to practically the other half of the Wizarding population and not being censored. Also, it seems the British community has recently been allowed back to the International Confederation of Wizards when they appointed a Humbert Macmillan for the post, war having cut them off from the organization. That suggests that despite being the same, wizards and witches, the communities are not that friendly with each other. It might be due to the difference of cultures but I suspect other things are involved.”

“Good, Dino, you are making progress. Now, what do you think about this article?” Reborn asked pointing to the article titled ‘The Concerns of Liberally Studying the Different Magicks’. Dino shifted a bit uncomfortable.

“The author may be trying to educate the population about the dangers that bring each branch of Magicks, in fact, I think Britain is… afraid, no, they, uh, aren’t very accepting of the different types of Magick and some are very controlled by the Ministry. But what I think it’s more interesting in this article is that it alludes to Miss Iolanthe and is attempting to put people against her.”

Reborn nodded, “why do you think so?”

“The author thinks Miss Iolanthe naïve and inexperienced and that she has no right to go around the world learning about Magic, this person either has a grudge on her or is jealous of her fame. I lean towards the second. The person even criticizes Miss Iolanthe’s choice of career as a Special Consultant in Curses and subtly points that she may become the next Dark Lady due to her freely learning about Curses. The arguments lack base and facts but the article was aimed for like-minded people who like to read sensationalized information. Never mind that Miss Iolanthe saved their sorry hides from a threat, they are already dubbing her an evil person. I…” Reborn was afraid to voice his last opinion for fear of overstepping his boundaries.

“What is it you want to say Dino?” But Reborn impassively looked at him and that boldened his heart.

“I think that if more articles like those are published in a well-known source of information in the future, Miss Iolanthe might be facing a whole community going against her, she might find herself in danger.” His concern was well-founded, reading that article made him realize that there are always people wanting to harm others and that past good deeds are never remembered. The Wizarding World might be a well-structured community but it was not flawless. Hypocrisy, jealousy and hate are qualities inherent to any human being. And people would go to great lengths just to show they are more powerful than others. “Reborn, do you think we should take Miss Iolanthe away?”

“No.” Dino was taken aback by his tutor’s decision. If Miss Iolanthe was his Wife, he would have done anything to keep her safe. “Iolanthe is not one to run away from her problems. I believe she can handle this situation.”

Dino noticed the change in demeanor in Reborn when he talked about Miss Iolanthe and guessed his tutor may know something about her that makes him have this kind of confidence in his Wife. Dino didn’t dare say anything more about the topic and continued giving his views about the surprisingly big Wizarding community.

“Oh, yeah, the Quidditch League is in motion, you think we might be able to go see a match?” At the end of his report, Dino couldn’t help comment something he read in the Sports section.

The Chudley Cannons were brutally beaten by the Appleby Arrows in a game 480 to 60 and the latter was considered one of the favorites to win the Cup, the next favorites, Puddlemere United was playing against the Wimbourne Wasps and were playing in two weeks. He was very interested in watching a match, the game sounded somewhat complicated but wanted to give it a try. There were no Sports in the Mafia World, after all. Unless one counted invading Mafia Land a sport.

“We will have to ask Iolanthe about it.”

And so they asked her about it during dinner that night.

*

“Sure! We can all go!” Was what she said relieved that she will finally be able to keep her promise with Viktor Krum. Dino glanced at Reborn but couldn’t see any reaction coming from him at hearing his Wife mention seeing another man. So it fell upon Dino to gather information.

“Who is Viktor Krum?” Curiously it wasn’t Miss Iolanthe who answered but a very offended Draco.

“How can you not know Viktor Krum?” Dino was taken aback by the man’s tone as if he had kicked his puppy or something worse. “He is the Best Seeker in the world! There is no match in which he hasn’t caught the Snitch! He’s the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team Seeker and currently playing for Puddlemere United. What an uncouth swine.” He sniffed looking down on Dino.

Miss Iolanthe and Miss Astoria -who had graciously accepted dinner’s invitation- had blank expressions while eating but Dino noticed the subtle shaking of their shoulders, no doubt trying not to laugh at Draco’s fanboy rambling. Well, that answer didn’t give much to Dino but there was no way he would ask again without getting suspicions thrown at him.

“Krum is my Quidditch rival.” Miss Iolanthe interjected. Dino noticed the knowing expression on her face while looking at him and he immediately felt embarrassed. “I am the Youngest Seeker in a century and he is the Best Seeker in the world, so we naturally became rivals when he discovered it.”

“What’s a Seeker?” Might as well know about the game before going to a match. Dino ignored Draco’s mutinous mumbling about ‘from which hole did this guy come from? Knowing nothing about Quidditch’ and looked at Miss Iolanthe’s with anticipation.

“I think it’s better if you see a Quidditch match.”

And so, after dinner, Dino and Reborn were presented to a Pensieve, an object with which you can see another person’s memory by introducing said memory in it. Miss Astoria had to leave not before extracting her memory of a match between Slytherin and Gryffindor.

At the end of the match, Dino was enamoured of the game and couldn’t help looking at Miss Iolanthe with worshipping eyes. She was so daunting while playing that many times his heart stopped just seeing the maneuvers she did. Draco was good but getting the Snitch right before the opponent’s Seeker’s nose while throwing yourself off the broom to then land on it perfectly, Snitch in hand like Miss Iolanthe did, there were no words.

Dino was vibrating with excitement and wanted to ask if he could see all her matches but was stopped by the paper fan from Reborn.

“For not being subtle enough.” And so Dino learned that it was not his place to ask about Miss Iolanthe’s male acquaintances but Reborn’s.

*

Next morning, Dino was shaking in his boots, trying to shrink in his chair and doing his best to feign he wasn’t there to witness the temper of one Iolanthe Potter while arguing with Reborn. Dino didn’t know why Reborn couldn’t wait for when he was alone with her or at least not during breakfast with all the china flying around and breaking to say that tutor and student would go into the Forest again. Dino certainly didn’t want to go in there again but he also didn’t want to face Miss Iolanthe’s wrath.

Draco was looking as fresh as a lettuce while sipping his tea ignoring everything.

“But I don’t really need your permission, do I?” Those words from Reborn made all the china tempest stop. Dino chanced a glance at Miss Iolanthe’s face and quickly ducked his head again, she had such a thunderous expression he could now see how she cowered the Vindice.

Dino and Reborn minutely jumped when all the china came crashing down at the same time creating a deafening sound and that is how Dino realized that for all the courageous front his tutor presented his arguments with, the Sun Arcobaleno was also very wary of his Wife. Who would have known?

“Fine!” She hissed gritting her teeth, then stormed out of the room leaving the men with a mess in the kitchen.

“Don’t think you have won this argument, Iolanthe is the most stubborn person you will know forever so expect her down there with some lame excuse.” Draco came back to the picture to throw those words. Then he took out his wand and with a ‘Reparo’ the whole mess tidied itself, all the china was repaired and put back in its place in less than a minute. Mafiosi used Storm Flames to take care of their messes that mostly involved dead bodies but not the furniture, so that was a very nifty spell.

Lo and behold, the woman truly was there with the excuse that it was her ‘turn to check out on the Creatures’; Reborn was so unimpressed but Dino was relieved to have her there. His relief, though, was short-lived when she just sniffed in Reborn’s direction and left. Reborn just sighed and directed his student in the opposite direction. Dino just looked at where Miss Iolanthe disappeared with longing in his eyes, he wanted to be safe, but all he got was a grenade from his tutor.

Never before had Dino been in the middle of a couple’s spat and he never wanted to be in one again, especially not one from his tutor and his Wife.

The first time, when they were facing the spiders that could be clearly seen (damn, they were huge!) and she appeared making all the spiders retreat, they thought it was coincidence. After all, she said she had been collecting the silk made by the Acromantulas, as she explained were called, and they had proof as she put a big roll of the silk in a pouch with a deceivingly large interior.

Next time, they found her talking with a herd of Centaurs, the same herd that pursued them last time. The Centaurs looked at them with hostile eyes but after she apologized on their behalf and explained that one of them was her Husband and the other a student, the herd gave them permission to traverse through their territory. She left with a haughty “You’re welcome” and that’s when they started to think that something was wrong.

“Man-child, better not make the Goddess of Mars angry.” One of the Centaurs cautioned and also left them to their own devices. The warning was unnecessary, she was already angry and they had faced her wrath.

It wasn’t until they were being chased down the stream by the mutant Fire Crab and she appeared again blasting the crab away with a explosive spell that they knew something was going on there. As she was ready to leave again, she was stopped by Reborn calling her. She turned around and looked indifferently at her Husband. Dino again made his best to look insignificant so nobody would notice him.

“Tell me how you’re doing it.” Reborn stated with a monotone.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She replied with the same tone while crossing her arms.

They stared at each other for what felt like minutes and Dino finally agreed with Draco that Miss Iolanthe is very stubborn in her own right, after all anyone would have already caved and spilled the beans faced against Reborn’s look. And surprisingly it was Reborn who broke the silence first.

“My most beloved Wife, please enlighten this ignorant Husband of your methods.”

Just to throw those shameless words that caught her off guard and her expression softened. Clearly neither could stay angry at the other for long.

“Tracking spell.” She said airily.

And that caught Dino and Reborn off guard making both ask at the same time, “What?”

“I casted a Tracking spell on Dino so I would know where you were going.” Dino was better off not knowing, the expression on Reborn’s face when looking at him screamed retribution as in a punishment for being careless. “Actually, it was very helpful since the Centaurs had you in the ‘To-Kill’ list. You never enter a Centaur territory without a good reason, they should have let you enter last time if you had explained your purpose, what did you do to make them so pissed?”

Dino’s accusatory eyes on Reborn and the tutor’s mutinous silence was telling enough.

“Right, Miss Iolanthe, what did you use to send that monstrous crab flying?” Dino asked to dissipate the awkward silence that had descended.

“Just Iolanthe is fine, no need to add the Miss. I had to use an overpowered Bombarda Maxima. The Fire Crab is a creation of Luna, they are normally not that huge and strong so if anything blame her for the crab being like that. It’s called Billy, by the way.”

Billy the Crab. Both men were so unimpressed.

“So, where are we now?” That’s Reborn’s way to say they were lost, Dino knew.

“Uh,” Iolanthe looked around. “Ah, we are near the Hippogriffs’ territory. You saw them before?” Both men nodded. “Right, want to go and make friends with them?”

Dino turned to look at Reborn with eyes so full of hope that Reborn couldn’t say no. So they went into Hippogriff territory and near the herd to witness two of them fighting. It was so messy, full of claws and bloodied feathers that Dino was regretting his decision. Reborn was looking fascinated and asked a thousand questions about them.

“It’s going to be mating season soon, so the Alpha will fight any upstart who wants to take away its Alpha rights to procreate. For now all the males will be separated of the females while they decide who will be the lucky one. Sometimes some Hippogriffs die, mostly the Alpha due to exhaustion of its constant battles but if the Alpha gets to kill one of its opponents from the very beginning, the others will think twice before competing too. Come, let’s leave them to their fighting and go see the females.”

They had to walk a good five minutes to reach the small group of female Hippogriffs and a few younglings.

“Ok, what you have to do first before approaching a Hippogriff is bow before them,” she received incredulous looks for that so she decided to show them. She slowly approached one of the females and looking directly at its eyes, she bowed; the Hippogriff looked for a few seconds before bowing too, only then she continued her lecture while petting the Hippogriff’s head. “They are very proud Creatures, you have to show them that you truly respect them before trying to establish contact, even to feed them. Draco almost loses an arm for being disrespectful to one, might have lost his head if he didn’t dodge on time. So, who wants to try?”

Iolanthe felt some sort of dejávù when Dino and her Husband took a step back after asking. In the end, Dino suffered his tutor’s mischievousness and was pushed up front.

“Don’t be afraid,” Iolanthe indicated. “Now bow.”

Dino shakily bowed in front of the Creature; hearing that someone could have lost their head just because they didn’t show enough respect was enough to make him wary of the Hippogriff.

“You can pet her now.” Iolanthe’s voice took him out of his panicked thoughts and he straightened from his bowing posture only to find himself face-to-beak with the Hippogriff. He wanted to step back but Iolanthe’s hand on his stopped him mid-motion while making him pet the Creature’s feathers. “When I met my first Hippogriff, I rode on it, we even flew around.” A smile adorned Iolanthe’s face seeing Dino’s white face. “You won’t do it, you are too nervous for it. Go back, I have to give them the food I brought.”

Dino backed off and watched as Iolanthe went around bowing and offering ferrets as food. For some reason, he thought the herd didn’t look as dangerous as before. His eyes unconsciously looked for Reborn to ask for his opinion on the matter but noticed the Arcobaleno was not there, instead, his tutor was standing a bit farther away again petting at air.

“The horse again?” Dino asked Reborn as soon as he approached. “Why can’t I see it?” It had been nagging at his mind from the first time. Reborn may be petty and evil but a liar he was not.

“Thestrals can only be seen by people who have seen death.” Iolanthe informed from behind Dino making him flinch. “They are considered a bad omen because of that and because of their appearance, they are not very pretty but they are still very gentle Creatures unless provoked. Here, give it this so you know it’s there.”

Iolanthe handed Dino a big piece of raw, bloody meat and Dino carefully reached out his hand dangling it. Soon, something tugged at the meat and it disappeared. He was amazed. In his heart, there was still some doubt that there was not something there but this just proved that this Thestral Creature really existed. But that meant…

“You have seen death?” He turned to ask Iolanthe who had been petting at air like Reborn had.

“You can say I first saw death when my Mom was killed in front of me when I was one, but since I don’t remember it doesn’t really count. Next, it was at eleven when I killed one of my teachers in self-defense, as it was not malicious, the laws of death didn’t count either and I still couldn’t see a Thestral. It was until I witnessed murder at fourteen that I was able to do so. On my Fifth year, I found the herd that dwelled in the Forbidden Forest at school, I was afraid at that time, they were so… different but I felt some sort of kinship with them. Only after a traumatic experience can we truly be seen, otherwise we are invisible to everybody.”

Those words were food for thought and actually confirmed Dino’s suspicions that Iolanthe’s life was one bad thing after the other and that not many of her experiences were very willing. He could only think of Mafiosi killing their teacher but a Magical… that was not that possible, was it? At least, he didn’t think it happened very often, or at all.

He wanted to ask her about the war but guessed it was not a topic you could just bring up, it was not polite as the person might still be suffering from the whole event. She looked fine but that didn’t mean she wasn’t hiding the effects, especially not when she was the one who ended the war. That only left him to change the topic.

“By the way… Iolanthe, Draco mentioned something about some shells last time.” Dino internally preened when he saw the expression of approval on Reborn’s face. He really did good in changing the topic.

“Oh! Occamy shells, those are at the entrance of the forest.” She said with a sheepish expression and hastily explained. “If we let the thing go around the forest it would invade other Creatures’ territory, it changes size, you see, so Luna created a special space for it. Occamies are normally dangerous but this is a bit tamed, though if you don’t know how to deal with it it’s better you don’t approach it, now even more that it’s nesting, so…”

So, it wasn’t recommended to visit it this time, Dino resumed. Well, maybe he wouldn’t be able to visit it again or maybe yes, he still didn’t know how long they were staying in England.

“Close your eyes!” Iolanthe suddenly called out.

Both Dino and Reborn shared confused looks but then understanding filled their expressions and readily closed their eyes. Not soon after that, they heard something was dragging, by the sound of it, the Creature was a good 9 feet long and that made them all the more nervous. Dino almost opens his eyes when he heard a sibilant voice that could only belong to Iolanthe, he really wanted to know how she made those noises.

“Don’t move, she wants to meet you.” Dino heard Iolanthe whisper right beside him making him jump but then stiffened when he felt a tongue being flicked on his hand. He was terrified. This was a dangerous creature that could kill either with the gaze or a bite, he could die and become a mean ghost without knowing how it happened! “She says you smell of fear and pure air, I think she can also smell your Flames but her vocabulary is very limited.”

His fear spiked for a second but then was forgotten to make way to curiosity. This snake was very lethal but very interesting if it could smell Flames.

“You can open your eyes now. I convinced her to keep her eyes closed.”

Dino gingerly opened his eyes trusting Iolanthe was not trying to kill him and then he couldn’t help gape. The snake was humungous! Anaconda humungous! Were those spikes? And if this was just a ‘baby’ snake then he didn’t want to imagine how big it would grow to! Though, despite the threatening appearance, it looked quite tamed, listening to whatever Iolanthe said and if he wasn’t making up things it looked like the Basilisk had taken a liking to Reborn if the way it was rolling around him was anything to go by.

After their encounter with the deadly snake, both Iolanthe and the Basilisk left the men to their own devices. She truly trusted them to survive the rest of the place after mentioning the most important Creatures in the Forest and the rest of their expedition ended in misfortune for Dino, as always, taking into account he had a tutor like Reborn.

What lifted Dino’s mood just a little bit at the end of the day was that on their way out, they encountered the Occamy and its eggs; it really was very protective of its nest looking at them with eyes filled with killing intent. They had to agree with Draco that they would instantly recognize the shells. They stood there stunned for a couple of seconds just trying to process that a Creature, a Magical Creature, laid silver eggs. Real silver. This Iolanthe Potter was truly too rich.

*

It wasn’t until days later when Draco had a conversation with Reborn that Dino started worrying a bit about his tutor. He was still a sadistic demon that made his life hell with his training but after knowing Reborn for two years, Dino knew something was on the Hitman’s mind that kept him a bit distracted. Not that it prevented from accurately throwing his grenades or random shots at the Cavallone Heir.

For one, they spent a whole day in London, in the Underground side of London anyway, but Dino never thought that Reborn was so well connected. They went from one shop to another and the Cavallone Heir still didn’t know what they were doing. They talked with some guy, threatened some other, shot another one, demolished the store of an unfortunate one and accidentally -not- killed the Wife of one man who thanked them for it.

The whole day was traumatic for Dino who could finally take a look at the real goings in the Mafia. He had always been sort of sheltered by his Father and it wasn’t until the older man decided that Dino was going to succeed him that the special training to make him a Mafia Boss started -apart from the compulsory attendance to the Mafia Academy. So, for the first time Dino witnessed the ins and outs of the Mafia business, what to say, how to say it, the stance you needed to have, and most importantly have the guts to carry out the threat you were throwing.

No hesitation. No further questions. No regrets.

Dino had never felt so underprepared for something and just Reborn’s business let him know his reality: If he kept half-assing his lessons, then he would end up like all of Reborn’s victims; powerless, helpless, no right to negotiate or with a bullet in the head.

It was with a heavy heart that Dino returned to Iolanthe’s house, silently ate his dinner and quietly left to his room to set his priorities straight. His Father had been clear about the Boss thing, it was NOT an option and the only one naïve enough to think he had the choice to decide if he wanted to be a Boss or not had been himself; he bet even the members of the Cavallone Famiglia were expecting it.

He had been average during his classes and the only reason he had been popular was because of his status as Sky and many wanted to be his Guardians but most of all, they wanted to be the Guardians of a Famiglia Boss, a Famiglia with the history and prominence -though it had been declining lately- like the Cavallone was nothing to scoff at.

And he would end up being the Boss of such Famiglia. The thought terrified him and he could already feel the pressure of the responsibilities.

After some thought, Dino was very sure of two things:

First, he didn’t want to end up like Vongola Nono’s discredited sons. It was no secret that nobody really expected them to take the mantle of Decimo and not because they were not capable but due to the fact that Timoteo Vongola should have stepped down years ago yet he hadn’t, disputing none of his sons were ready for being Decimo. Those words diminished the value of his own sons as Skies and candidates to being the next Vongola Boss, now they were seen as useless and not apt for the post.

Dino was of the belief that nobody would be truly fully prepared to be a Boss and that training with Reborn would make him better but not exactly perfect for it.

As such, being too haughty like Enrico, a bit of an idiot like Massimo and a womanizer like Federico weren’t reasons enough to void them of becoming Decimo. Many suspected -Dino included- Nono just wanted the power of being the Vongola Boss to himself. Many saw hope with the introduction of Xanxus that the Decimo would finally be decided but then Nono went and froze his own son. That said a lot of Nono’s decisions as of late and rumors of dissent were circulating.

The public declaration was that Xanxus had rebelled and wanted to take the mantle of Decimo by force. In the surface the Mafiosi sympathized with Nono saying he had been raising a tiger just for it to cut his throat while asleep but deep inside they thought that should have served as a sign to Nono that not only the other Famiglias, even his own Vongola thought that he should already step down.

As a friend of Squalo Superbi, Rain Guardian of Xanxus Vongola and Officer in the Varia, he knew the truth of the what and why of the event, the so-called ‘Rebellion’. Knowing that Nono had taken and deceived a kid telling him that he was a Vongola, when he was not, and that he would one day be Decimo but denying all facts when confronted and just freezing the victim of the old man’s lies made Dino lose the sparse faith he had in Timoteo Vongola.

So no, being like the sons of that man was something Dino wanted to avoid. He didn’t want to be regarded as useless by the whole Cavallone Famiglia or that he was not apt for the role of being a Boss. His pride as a Sky wouldn’t let him be subpar either. If he started paying attention to his training then he would still become a good Boss sooner rather than later.

And second, in the Mafia it was Do or Die.

Dino didn’t want to be a Boss before but as a Sky and Cavallone Heir, he didn’t have much of a choice. He knew the only choice he had was if he was either a good or a bad Boss. He was not completely ignorant to his Father’s doings and had noticed that many of his businesses were declining or not giving him enough profit. Dino’s Father was amazing as a Sky and the whole Famiglia loved him but he was not a competent businessman.

The fact the Famiglia was declining due to bad administration and his Father using the money they actually didn’t have was not unknown to Dino and was waiting for the moment his Father declared bankruptcy and started selling their properties to pay his debts. Honestly, he didn’t want to think that his Father had been training him just to pass him that hot potato. That would be really sad and a tad telling in how deep the Cavallone Famiglia had fallen.

At the end of the day, what was true was that when he took the mantle of Boss, the Famiglia would perish or strive with him and that it was time he made the choice.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next!  
> Reborn meets Shamal and Shamal meets Iolanthe. 
> 
> Important!  
> I am on vacation, my dear readers! So! Guess what?! You will get a daily chapter this week :D Yay! Plus a surprise by the end of the week! Wait for it ;)


	13. Let me tell you a joke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Shamal and his antics, getting drunk just to meet the famous Wife of the Sun Arcobaleno.   
> Reborn has a mini epiphany towards his Wife.

* * *

A man and a toddler were sitting in a bar.

This wasn’t the beginning of a joke, but many of the other customers had to double check the situation where a man and a toddler were truly sitting in a corner of the bar. It was just a good thing that it was not a normal bar but one ran by the Mafia; if not, the cops would have already raided the place and put the man in jail for taking a toddler to drink. Some recognized the Pacifier around the toddler’s neck and began whispering to their companions about _I Prescelti Sette_.

The strongest seven for each Flame. The Arcobalenos.

As the British Mafia, they had heard about them, but it was the first time they had seen one and marveled at the truth of the many rumors. They truly were toddlers, they truly wore Pacifiers, they truly were strong. The people close to the table in the corner could feel the power of the Flames emanating from the toddler and that’s the reason why they were left alone. The other man sitting with the Arcobaleno was not that notorious and he was instantly forgotten.

“So, Reborn, any particular reason why you called me all the way to England? I thought you were in Italy.” The man with Reborn looked a bit vulgar but the lab coat identified him as either a scientist or a doctor.

“I married.” Reborn bluntly replied enjoying Shamal’s choking.

“Cough, say that again, cough, you married?” _Looking like that?_ Was left unsaid. Reborn nodded and fiddled with something in his pocket.

“Here, this is my Wife.” He took out a photo of him and Iolanthe taken the day before because he wanted to know if he would be able to move like any other Magical in their pictures.

The process of developing the picture was very fast so they experimented a bit. The result was that if he was alone, the picture wouldn’t move despite being developed in the same Developing Solution but if he were to appear with a Magical, in this case his Wife, only then he was able to move. He deduced that it wasn’t only the Solution that helped the picture move but the Magic of the person unknowingly imbued in the picture helped too.

Either way, he now had a pocket watch -a present from his Wife- with a picture of them in it. The pocket watch was very antique and Iolanthe confirmed it belonged to one of her ancestors but she had tweaked it by resembling the one from the Weasleys, it didn’t show the hour, per se, but where the person was or the status. His pocket watch didn’t have as many options as the Weasley clock but it did have ‘Home’, ‘Work’, ‘School’, ‘Out’ and ‘Mortal Peril’.

The hands of the clock had their names and for now it only had hers and his name. That in the future it would also include their child or children was implied. For now, it showed Iolanthe was at Home, most likely in the library and his name showed he was Out.

“Oh! Reborn, you lucky bastard! What a babe!” Of course, Reborn couldn’t have pleasant thoughts without being interrupted by this guy.

“Her name is Iolanthe, she’s a Witch.” Reborn commented making Shamal choke again.

“Now, now, there is no need to be rude. Well, I have seen my fair share of beautiful women with shrew personalities but this is your Wife we are talking about…” Shamal’s ranting slash complaining died seeing the look Reborn was sending him as if saying ‘You are an idiot’ so he waited for Reborn to talk and tell the tale.

And what a tale!

Reborn told him of the circumstances of why he had to travel to England, his meeting with Iolanthe, his Wife the Witch that was part of a community of Magicals in Britain, that she was an important person in society, that said society had been going through war a couple of years ago, that his own Wife had been a vital part of it, the ramifications and current situation that were generated by the war, a vague explanation of how it all affected his Wife, what she is doing now and how the both of them had been interacting for the couple of days.

Reborn didn’t keep much, well, the information he told about his Wife, Shamal would have found it if directed to the right sources and the bits about the time after war were very common for all who had lived one.

To say Shamal was shocked, was putting it mildly and was a gross understatement. He understood that being a secret society they had to be discreet about it but to be told that the Magicals weren’t really that inconspicuous yet nobody in the Mafia knew about them was the oversight of the millennium! What have all those information gathering teams been doing all these years? What if many of their people had been attacked or contacted by Magicals and they were in the unknown.

He was sure Reborn hadn’t told him much about what his Wife could do despite the summary he got about the Magicals’ abilities. They couldn’t all be the same, right? (If only he knew) Still, he managed to gather himself rather quickly and analyzed the information that was dumped on him. Disregarding the whole secret society with miraculous abilities, the fact that really struck home was: Reborn got married.

_Dear Giotto, Reborn got married!_

Since the day Shamal met Reborn they had shared tales of women and the lovers they had had, and the doctor was sure that Reborn never had intentions of getting married. The Arcobaleno’s relationships before he was an Arcobaleno were so flighty, filled with short-lived passion and nothing more. It was very telling in what he wanted but then comes a letter from a bank telling him that he got betrothed by some troll of an ancestor to one unsuspecting Iolanthe Potter, who was not only a war veteran but a Noble Lady too, a filthy rich Noble Lady with more houses than the Vongola themselves.

Shamal gulped down his drink ignoring the burn in his throat and asked, “Then? What is really the reason you called me? Surely not to vent your woes or brag about your beautiful Wife?” A roguish smiled formed in his face.

“Magicals have Traditions -yes, with capital T- depending on their Houses, and Iolanthe being in charge of three of them has many to see. As Lord of those three Houses, I have to follow them too and even to date my own Wife, there are rules to it.” Reborn explained a bit disgruntled.

“You are interested in your Wife?” Shamal didn’t know how to look at Reborn anymore, if shocked or bewildered, or both.

“She’s my Wife, why wouldn’t I be? The contract can’t be broken even if I spawn some children and then I would need to be more involved in the marriage due to my kids.” Shamal spluttered and nearly got an aneurism. Reborn never mentioned anything about kids! Alright, that would be addressed later, for now there was another point to see to.

“No, I mean, you are interested in a woman.” Shamal pointedly said.

Reborn paused and thought about it; he would have lived in vain if he hadn’t caught Shamal trying to lead him to something he wasn’t seeing and soon reached a conclusion. He truly was interested in his Wife. His other ‘lovers’ were just a passing thing, they were interested in him and he just benefitted with that. There were a fair few who were amusing and indulged in a few more days but none had really caught his attention. But here his Wife was, doing the impossible.

He still sustained the thought that she was easy to like but Reborn had encountered many people like that, what differed Iolanthe from them was that she was similar to Reborn; she understood the life of Survival of the Fittest. Some of his lovers were from the Mafia and even then there was a subtle fear in their eyes that was mostly covered by their lust yet he saw it nonetheless. Being a Hitman was no joke and having the ability to kill you anytime was less than a joke. In a way, they were risking their lives just for a bit of attention.

But not his Iolanthe -yes, he was admitting she was his. She only looked at him like some sort of kindred spirit even if he hadn’t shared much of his life with her. Her only fear was if her marriage would work and if she was doing a good enough job, it was never towards him. He wasn’t sure yet if it was because she had faced an insane megalomaniac so facing a Hitman was not scary or, and he was sad to think about this, the result of her grooming really desensitized her to the idea of dying and she was actually not afraid of death.

The hints indicated the second option but he couldn’t discard the first one so easily. All the shit thrown at her was enough to kill even the most experienced Mafioso not to say about a girl who had no idea what was going on and was raised to die. The sole fact that she survived it all told him about her resilience and determination to best even Death. Something he had strived to do his whole life. So yes, he was interested in this type of woman.

A woman that beneath all those layers of toughness, pride, determination and righteousness was a fragile thing that was mistrustful, jaded, wounded and so afraid of her own emotions because she was never allowed to feel, was the only type of woman that could interest him (And what did that tell about him?). So he would be damned if he didn’t at least let her experience life as it was.

“Yes, I am, anyway,” the dismissal attitude towards Reborn’s epiphany made Shamal choke in his new drink. “The reason you are here is because I will court my Wife and I was given tasks so their Mother Magic sees the truth in my intentions. It sounds archaic but it is Ancient and Powerful -yes, those with capital letters too. You will help me think what I can do.”

“I never thought this day would come,” muttered Shamal distracted. “The day Reborn would ask for my advice with women. I must be dreaming, this is all so crazy.”

“Pay attention!” Reborn was not merciful and made Leon transform in a giant paper fan to slap Shamal making him fly and roll on the bar toppling chairs and tables on his way.

“Oi! That hurt!”Shamal cried while rubbing his stinging head, apologizing to the other patrons and making his way back to their table. “And then, are there any requirements or guidelines?” He asked heavily sitting on the chair and gulping down his drink. Damn, he needed something stronger for this type of conversation.

“Something mad like a Potter, something worthy of a Black and make peace with the dead like a Peverell.” Then Reborn explained the many examples given by Black and Lupin about what Iolanthe’s Father did to conquer her Mother, what characterized Blacks and what he needed to do for the Peverell bit.

“I guess you need help with the Potter bit?” Shamal asked rubbing his chin. “Blacks sound just like you, crazy and homicidal and the Peverell task was already given to you. But just how madly in love was this James guy for Lily? Even I wouldn’t go to those extremes, really, to enchant the whole school diner for it to rain Lilies. That’s bordering on creepy.” Reborn nodded in agreement, his respect for James Potter was too high after hearing all those embarrassing moments.

“I don’t want to surpass what he did.” _And embarrass myself too much_ was left unsaid. “I just need something that would make her eyes pop and possibly hate me for a few days for putting her on the spot.” Because that is what James Potter did with poor Lily Potter.

“Too hard, it sounds like the man has already done it all,” Shamal hummed. And that’s why Reborn had to call Shamal, James Potter had really done it all for the name of love, well mostly all, but if he had the means to do other things and the times weren’t so trying, what with war and all, then he would have. A slap on the table took Reborn out of his thoughts. “Why are we thinking like Magicals? We can’t do anything like them, let’s go old-school like perfect mortals.”

The smug smile on Shamal bode well for this endeavor. They spent the following hours talking about their plan and with the assurance that Reborn would change back to his original form for a few days, then it potentially became either the most romantic event in history or the most embarrassing moment in the universe. Never before had Reborn been so glad to have so many contacts to threaten here and there. The plan was perfect in all the senses.

What was not perfect was Shamal getting drunk and Reborn reluctantly having to take him back with him to Iolanthe’s house. The Sun Arcobaleno was two hundred percent sure that Shamal did it on purpose but he wasn’t in the mood to call him out for it, the man had given him the best Potter event and maybe it wouldn’t surpass James Potter in its dramatics but it was sure to be big. Now, the problem was, and why he hadn’t thought about it before, how was he going to drag the drunk man to the house?

Getting out was easy. “Here use my Invisibility Cloak if you want to go out, I’m not sure if there are still reporters around the house but one has to be prepared.” Was what Iolanthe said handing him the silvery fabric that for all intents and purposes really made him invisible -Verde would have killed for this. And that was that. There were a couple reporters who hadn’t given up on trying to get information about Iolanthe Potter’s Husband and were lurking in the shadows to see if they could interview someone coming in or out of the house via the door.

After that reporter who got lost in the Wards and appeared hours later almost dead, no other had the guts to get near the house. Reborn laughed so hard -in the privacy of Iolanthe’s rooms- when he heard about what happened that he almost burst something. It seemed harming the reputation of someone in the House was reason enough for the Wards to retaliate in kind.

But back to problem, Reborn, under the Invisibility Cloak was dragging a drunk Shamal. It was a bit hilarious -if anyone could see it- how a sleeping man was moving around the neighborhood without having to walk. Arriving at home, he knocked on the door to enter –how disheartening it was to see Lord Black having to knock on the door of his house to enter, he had to fix that then. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed all the reporters perking up seeing someone appearing in front of Lady Potter’s house.

Reborn couldn’t conceive why she didn’t keep the house hidden under the Fidelius Charm like before. And he also couldn’t conceive how he was convinced that it didn’t need to be kept under that Charm anymore. He blamed it on the fact that while being explained all the information about the Black House, he was given a heavenly massage by his ever so charming Wife. Those hands were very magical; even Leon got one and the Chameleon ended up like a puddle of goo, literally.

“Kreacher, the door!” His keen hearing caught Iolanthe’s words. The grumble from Kreacher was as always unintelligible. “For Godric’s sake, Kreacher! I’m feeding a Basilisk here!”

Ah yeah, Reborn had forgotten about that pet. Apparently, the snake that could easily swallow him whole had adopted him either as its personal warmer or Dad, if he hadn’t misheard the snake say. It -she, Sissee, whatever- wasn’t still very fluent in her speech and Reborn was having problems understanding. So, the thing now slept in their bed. Joy. He preferred it all deadly and not like a cuddly dog wanting a scratch.

The door was opened by the always charming Kreacher and almost closed it again seeing as there was only a passed out man there but a “Hold it open” from Reborn made the elf stop. At this point, Kreacher could instantly recognize the child-like voice from his Filthy Master.

As soon as Reborn went through the door and closed it in the reporters’ faces, he took off the Cloak giving it to Kreacher to return it where it belongs and walked down the hallway to the Dining Room where he knew Iolanthe was when she fed Sissee. Reborn stood by the door watching in raptured fascination how the snake chased around a rabbit with its eyes closed. Iolanthe was teaching Sissee to hunt like that to prevent accidents like Death-by-Gaze. Reborn approved.

“Welcome home, Reborn.” The smiling face of his Wife’s face greeted him and the kiss on the cheek was appreciated too. The first time she did it, he was very amused when she swooned and spent a day giddy like a kid who got her favorite candy. She was very cute like that.

“I’m back and brought a friend, a drunk friend.” He replied with a kiss on her cheek and then pointing to the asleep Shamal.

“Is he staying for dinner?” And wasn’t she a dear when she didn’t even ask who he was and what they had been doing like any controlling Wife? Well, the fact that said friend was very drunk was very telling for what they had been doing and maybe she simply didn’t care about who was brave enough to enter the Ancestral House of the Blacks.

Reborn nodded. “And perhaps the night.”

“I’ll tell Kreacher to prepare a room then.” As she did so, Reborn tossed Shamal inside the Dining Room and waited for a good show while his Wife left to start on dinner shaking her head with a smile on her face. Seeing as the Basilisk was done with its dinner, it would just laze around the place so Iolanthe didn’t worry about it going around terrorizing unsuspecting drunkards.

Reborn felt anticipation bubble in his body when the huge snake slithered on Shamal’s body as if it didn’t weight nearly 80kg. The doctor grunted with the weight and started screaming bloody murder like a high schooler when he noticed there was an enormous snake crawling on him. Good thing the snake didn’t react much to the shrieking beside slapping Shamal on the face with its tail while leaving. Shamal was very indignant that a snake had slapped his face forgetting all about his fear.

“Rejoice, at least it was a female snake.” Reborn remarked after cackling like crazy. He got a glare for his effort that sent him to another fit of cackles.

“What kind of creepy house have you brought me to?” Asked Shamal eyeing the way the snake went to then look around the place. It surely wasn’t the hotel room he rented. The place didn’t look that exotic that would have snakes roaming free.

“That would be my house,” Iolanthe said from the hidden passageway frame to the Kitchen. “I would appreciate if you didn’t set my Basilisk on unsuspecting guests, Reborn, it’s not polite even if he’s your friend.”

Reborn suppressed the laugh that was trying to come out of his mouth when he saw Shamal’s ashen face and his whispered ‘Those are real?’. His darling Wife really knew how to entertain him, they had the same humor.

“But, where are my manners? Iolanthe Potter, Reborn’s Wife.” She said extending a hand for shaking though Shamal instead took it and sloppily kissed her knuckles.

“So I’ve been told. I must say you are more beautiful in person.” The lecherous smile earned him a kick from Reborn that sent him flying across the room. Meanwhile, Reborn took out Leon-handkerchief cleaning the place where Shamal put his filthy lips.

“That’s Shamal, Pervert Extraordinaire and on occasions a doctor.” Reborn deadpanned.

“Oi, I am a real doctor!” Shamal yelled from where he was lying.

“Right, a pleasure. Reborn tells me you are staying for dinner and also the night. I brought you a Sobering Potion, it will help you with the hangover.” Iolanthe took everything in stride and handed the bedraggled doctor a phial. Shamal eyed it suspiciously and even sniffed the contents, it smelled totally vile and thought he was given some kind of poison but when he looked for Reborn’s Wife to ask about it, she was not there anymore and Reborn was heading to the passageway at the back of the Dining Room.

Shamal reluctantly and warily followed the path only to end up in the Kitchen and seeing Iolanthe Potter going around the place preparing food felt wrong to him. Wasn’t she supposed to be a Noble Lady? Wasn’t she drowning in money that she didn’t know what to do with it? The Dining Room looked luxurious with its fancy lights and immense table, surely the rest of the house was the same, right? Why was she then preparing her own food? Where were the servants?

“Would you please move?” Shamal jumped and was ready to attack hearing someone behind him but stopped when he noticed the person wasn’t even pointing any weapon at him, he also recognize the youth standing behind the man. That was Reborn’s student, Dino, was it? Why did he look as if someone killed his puppy?

Shamal made way and saw how the man haughtily walked past him towards the table where Reborn was sat at. Dino, nodded at Shamal and continued walking. There were many things Shamal was missing that Reborn hadn’t told.

“Aren’t you eating?” Iolanthe Potter’s voice made him notice the food had already been served. _So fast?_ Shamal absently walked towards the table but noticed that all the chairs had been taken and Reborn was shamelessly sitting on his Wife’s lap. Lucky bastard. Just when he was going to point out that a chair was missing, one appeared out of nowhere and the table grew to accommodate him.

Was this a Mist’s work? No, he remember Iolanthe Potter was Magical so maybe it was normal to them. They didn’t even flinch when they were moved around on their own chairs.

“So, how was Gardening?” Iolanthe casually asked while the food flew around this and that way to one or the other’s plate. Shamal was fascinated by it.

“As usual.” “Dreadful.” Were the simultaneous answers from Draco and Dino respectively.

“You didn’t learn anything Stupid-Dino?” Reborn asked while happily eating his portion of meat pie.

“To not get close to Luna Lovegood’s plants.” Dino deadpanned. Seriously, who thinks that those creepy little things called Mandragoras could sing opera-style? Only Luna Lovegood, that’s who! Not even the Venomous Tentacula was as dangerous as those.

“Oh, you found her mini Whomping Willow?” If anyone heard Iolanthe sounding a bit excited about it, nobody commented on it; Draco because he thought it was a lost cause, Reborn because he liked that plant, Dino and Shamal were the only ones with puzzled faces clearly not knowing what she was talking about.

“We didn’t get there. I had to save him from the Venomous Tentacula.” Stated Draco dryly. He hoped to get a good harvest for his potions but he spent most of the time saving Dino. Draco blamed Iolanthe’s Husband for having the idea that Dino needed to get himself acquainted to the ‘Magical’s Flora’ and basically dumping the poor teen on him to ‘learn’.

“Well, you have to accept that Neville’s gift to you was very telling.” Iolanthe said with an airy tone. Neville gave Draco the Venomous Tentacula after a fight they had when Draco made a somewhat offensive comment towards the breakup between Neville and Luna. Draco wasn’t sure if he had to be offended or touched by the gift, after all, what Potion Master didn’t have their own plants to get their Potions ingredients from?

“He didn’t have to make the plant deadlier than it already is!” Draco complained. “Whatever Dino did with his Magick barely kept it at bay and he still got poisoned.” He grumbled.

Everybody turned to look at Dino who was dismayed at being bested by a plant. Well, he really didn’t know what he was dealing with back there but still, they were just plants! Deadly plants yes, but plants! Just when he had decided he wanted to become stronger to impress his Father of his progress, a plant grabs him by his ankle and dangles him in the air as if he was nothing. He was ashamed of what happened and if it wasn’t for his Flames the thing would have probably strangled him.

Feeling everybody’s gaze on him, he stopped poking the moving jelly and looked up.

“Uh, I’m fine, got detoxified.” Just those words made everybody go back to their food.

“Anyway,” Shamal coughed. “What’s with this jelly? It doesn’t want to be eaten.” The jelly on his plate kept escaping his spoon making him unable to eat it.

“At least it’s only moving,” Draco interjected. “Iolanthe once made laughing soup.” Draco’s spoon expertly poked the jelly taking a portion of it and eating it.

Iolanthe sighed, “The good old days.”

“Yeah, the days when you were pants at potions and had to make them all in the kitchen so you could pretend you were cooking. That’s a silly method if you ask me.” Draco said.

“That silly method made me get an O in my Potion N.E.W.T!” She huffed.

“And get the cauldrons confused with the pots cooking in them, hence the Laughing Soup. I still am not sure how it came to be.”

“That’s because you don’t really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through the human veins, bewitching the minds, ensnaring the senses... I didn’t bottled fame, brewed glory not even stopped death, but I made a mean soup!” Replied Iolanthe with dramatic gestures.

“The speech was awesome, accept it.” Draco smirked remembering that time his Godfather Severus tried to impress little first years with that speech.

“Yes, it was. Though the way he swept at you like a bat was more impressive.” Iolanthe bitterly said. She lost so many points at the hands of the Dungeon Bat that it was maybe a record and must have been written in the next edition of Hogwarts: A History. She could already see it, a whole chapter dedicated to the student who lost the most points for her House; well that could be contended with the twins.

“He wasn’t that bad.” The way the ambient magic crackled made Draco realize that he said something stupid and didn’t even have the time to retract his words when Iolanthe was already on him.

“Sure, yes, tell me that when you don’t get points deducted just for being the daughter of bloody James Potter or for even fucking living! The man couldn’t even look past a childhood rivalry and lived in perpetual bitterness that he vented on innocent children! Tell that to Neville who was terrorized to the point his Boggart was the man himself! How was that not bad?!”

Dino was trying very subtly to shy away -jelly in hand- from Iolanthe who was sitting beside him and Shamal had forgotten about his abnormal dessert to witness the plates floating around and pots and pans trembling. Reborn just kept sipping on his tea. He was getting used to both Draco and Iolanthe fighting very often but going back to normal the following day, that shows how mature they are and that despite the constant fights they never really hurt each other.

“The man saved my life when you almost killed me! And I’m more than sure he saved yours many times too!” Draco snarked. For all he learned to love Iolanthe and tried to understand what she went through, he still couldn’t get how she kept herself blind to the sacrifices of the man. He was prepared to keep defending his Godfather but just when he thought she was going to blow up, she deflated.

“I know.” Was all she said before excusing herself from the table putting her Husband on the seat she was vacating.

Draco heavily sighed when she was gone rubbing his temple.

“I would thank you if you don’t upset Iolanthe like that. She is very aware what Severus Snape did for her, she’s just having troubles associating those actions with the man that tormented her for something she was not at fault with.” Reborn said with a stern voice.

Draco straightened knowing he did something the cursed-man didn’t approve of, “I apologize, I’ll try to think before saying things that are not my problem anymore.” He bowed his head in Reborn’s direction and indirectly reminded him that Iolanthe needed that talk with Severus Snape sooner rather than later; if not, she would keep exploding like she did previously at the mere mention of the man being different than how she knew him. It was not fair for the man and not healthy for her to keep that grudge.

“See that you do.” Reborn threw those words before leaving the room too.

Shamal whistled at the exchange reminding Draco and Dino he was there. “It’s the first time I see him like that.” He took out a cigarette and lit it. “Would you mind telling me everything you know about Iolanthe Potter?”

Draco eyed the man in the lab coat with suspicion, he hadn’t even presented himself and now he was asking for another person’s information. He subtly read his thoughts and immediately regretted it seeing this man’s thoughts were full of women of all kind and in all states of dress or lack. Draco barely kept his face from showing his disdain at such a perverted man and instead called Kreacher to prepare them more tea. He was satisfied when he saw the man jump at the appearance of the house-elf.

Anyway, he was able to discern that despite his dirty thoughts he was only curious about Iolanthe due to Reborn’s reaction.

“What do I get from telling you what I know from her?” It’s been a while since he went Slytherin on someone.

Shamal was stumped not expecting the pretty man to ask for something in return. He didn’t really have anything to give except…

“Seeing that you are good friends with Iolanthe Potter and that you seem to care about her, I imagine you don’t fully trust Reborn, so allow me to give you information that would appease you and assure you he’s not a bad man.” Shamal noticed the light in the man’s eyes and was glad he clearly understood that as much as Draco didn’t trust Reborn with Iolanthe, Shamal didn’t trust Iolanthe with Reborn. He basically didn’t trust anybody in the house.

“I’m listening.” Draco said nonchalantly preparing his tea.

Silence descended in the room, clearly neither wanting to be the first to give in. Dino was looking between the two waiting for one or the other to begin, he wanted to know about Iolanthe as much as he wanted to know about Reborn and the chance had presented like a gift from Heaven. But seeing that neither wanted to speak, he needed to do something.

“I wonder what Iolanthe and Reborn are doing now.” Dino said in a low voice.

“Flirting.” Replied both men at the same time. They looked at each other and arrived to the conclusion that they could start with that.

“Reborn was always known to be a ladies man, some others say he was just your typical womanizer…” Shamal started their information exchange.

Meanwhile, Dino was smirking in his cup of tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Reborn gets help for his Potter gift. I already have the plan for his gift but it doesn't sound as amazing as I would have liked. It helps the flow of the story but not the Potter craziness. Help this author with ideas so I can add them to the one I already have in mind ;) Might as well make the event last several days to add all your crazy ideas xD  
> (Author shamelessly asking for help :3) 
> 
> Also, for those that might get curious. Reborn can understand Parsel. Because why not? Dumbledore could understand it so the person who understands the bug language can't? Besides, he has a wife who can speak it, so it's not surprising he can catch a word or two.


	14. Of Quidditch and all stuff in between

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group goes to a Quidditch game. But what's Quidditch without some Potter luck?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to write a chapter about Quidditch but stuff happened and this came out xD 
> 
> Please don't bash this author for the failed attempt at Krum's speech :3
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy :)

* * *

 

The noise was intense. The people were yelling, chanting, cheering, creating a festive environment that one wouldn’t think years ago the society as they knew it would be no more and maybe with it, the reason they were there for: Quidditch. Puddlemere United was playing against Wimbourne Wasps. Normally, not many people would gather for a game but since Viktor Krum started playing for Puddlemere, tickets were sold out in just a couple of hours and reselling prices were just a scam with super high prices but people would still buy them.

Iolanthe and her group arrived to the Stadium early, when people was starting to arrive and the teams hadn’t even showed up yet. The reason: as famous and recognizable as Iolanthe was, she wanted to avoid the masses gawking and pointing at her while walking to the VIP boot she was able to buy tickets for thanks to throwing her name around. Draco approved of her ways and was even vibrating with excitement to know that Viktor Krum himself would visit them.

Another one equally if not more excited was Dino, who was looking here and there at the luxurious room and the huge glass window where they could perfectly see down the pitch and even above without straining their necks. He could already feel the rumbling of the hundreds of people cheering for their favorite team and see the players flying around at high speeds throwing the Quaffle around, dodging Bludgers and the Seekers looking and pursuing for the Snitch.

Shamal, who had managed to convince Reborn to let him stay a couple of days more to see this Quidditch, sat in one of the comfortable sofas and started perusing the menu with drinks on it. Apparently, this VIP room even offered beverages. From time to time, he eyed the couple that was talking in hushed voices in another sofa. With what he learned about Iolanthe Potter, Shamal couldn’t help feel sorry for her but at the same time respect her and consider her perfect for Reborn.

If all the messes both would get into didn’t clue him that they were both made for each other, then all the times Iolanthe made Reborn laugh with all her actions convinced him. He guessed both were experiencing some sort of emotional Healing with this marriage. Reborn couldn’t see it, but Shamal could. The Arcobaleno, from the moment he lost his first Sky, had been waiting for someone else, most likely another Sky, to see him for who he was, not just the murderous expert Hitman of the Vongola.

It seemed he had found that in Iolanthe Potter, another person so hurt by life that she saw this Marriage with Reborn as the perfect opportunity to be what she hadn’t had the chance to be, a normal person. Certainly neither were normal but to each other they were the most normal people they can find in their lives so it wasn’t hard for each to get along like any normal couple with its fights and shameless flirting. Well, if you could consider their way of getting along normal.

The time they dueled made him fear the woman a bit; Shamal was sure Reborn wanted to test her but the Arcobaleno wasn’t prepared for the variety of spells Iolanthe threw at him. If the Sun Arcobaleno wasn’t the Best Hitman, he would have been wiped around the place by her. Same, Iolanthe had to sweat to fight Reborn on equal ground. The room ended up burned, with tiles and bits of the wall blown up, almost falling apart but it all was repaired in a moment.

There was also what they did the previous day to those reporters. Shamal was surprised by the reporters tenacity and patience to wait for someone to appear by the house to interview them but for that, he didn’t feel sorry when Iolanthe practiced with her first gun -courtesy of Leon- on them. Of course, it was loaded with balls filled with all kind of nasty liquids so nobody died, much to Reborn’s chagrin. Anyway, they discovered Iolanthe was a very good sniper and very often got headshots.

If Shamal didn’t know that Reborn was equal parts wary and reserved towards a relationship, then he would have thought Reborn had fallen in love with Iolanthe for the sole potential she showed with guns.

As it was, Reborn was merely interested and perhaps a bit attracted to her. Shamal really wanted to know what would happen to them when Reborn recovered his body; naughty stuff was a given, but what would their interactions and reactions to each other be? He would love to pay to see that but sadly, he wouldn’t be around when that happened.

A knock on the door took him out of his thoughts. The door opened to reveal a very stern man with shaved hair, a trimmed beard, stocky build and sharp eyes that immediately stopped on the figure of the only woman in the group.

“Iolanze!” His voice was very deep and with a very telling accent. Shamal knew he was Bulgarian.

The man, Viktor Krum, entered the room with clumsy steps but there was a militaristic rhythm to them or at least they felt like that, Viktor truly couldn’t care less about the way he walked. But, what he cared about were his manners. The moment he noticed there was someone else together with her on the sofa, he paused, his eyes changed and became even more piercing until he straightened and saluted. Militaristic indeed.

“Very nice to meet you, Lord Potter.” He bowed at Reborn. Shamal was aware Reborn had acquired Noble Titles from well-known Families but he never thought they would demand this much respect to even earn a salute from a man. Magicals really cared about status and titles. “My name is Viktor _Heir to the Noble House of Krum.”_ Right, that was new to Shamal, who presents themselves like that? And the man clearly said that in Bulgarian. He glanced at Iolanthe and Draco, the Magicals in their group, but they didn’t look very surprised by it. So, it was normal.

 _“You may call me Reborn,”_ the Sun Arcobaleno replied in fluent Bulgarian surprising Viktor by the short change in his expression. _“Iolanthe has told to me about you.”_

 _“Yeah, we met at such a dangerous event, we didn’t talk much apart from Quidditch.”_ Reborn knew that was true. The man in front of him wasn’t very talkative and his Wife never talked if she wasn’t asked anything; something that stem from her time at the Dursleys. She was very talkative with her friends but with strangers, she would close up. Even now, the friendship between Viktor and Iolanthe wasn’t more than a rivalry between Seekers.

 _“I look forward to seeing your abilities.”_ And with that Reborn finished their conversation to which Viktor just nodded and then turned towards Iolanthe.

“Let’s compete.” True enough, the first thing that came out from his mouth was ask Iolanthe for a match.

“Right now? I don’t have a broom, no appropriate clothes, are we even allowed to do that?” Iolanthe looked very helpless towards Viktor’s earnestness in competing. The man had been waiting for this.

“Ve can. There is an event before the beginning of the match. Ve can provide you vith broom and clothes.” Iolanthe sighed and just nodded unwillingly. Today, she would gain what she didn’t want, attention. “I vill be looking forward to our match.” Viktor said with a smile on his face and like that he left. Luckily, the man was very to the point and didn’t look a bit interested in Iolanthe. All Flame users discreetly sighed relieved.

And then Draco began bickering with Iolanthe about the unfairness of her being the only one that gets to play with Krum. After hours of waiting, seeing both teams doing their practice and witnessing Shamal getting drunk with one glass of Firewhiskey, the match finally began.

“Good evening and welcome all to one more round of Quidditch!” The spectators cheered like crazy. “Yes, yes, and today we are starting a special event for our star Seeker Viktor Krum!” More cheering and even fireworks went off. “Who will sadly leave in the middle of the league to start his path with the Bulgarian Team towards the World Cup, this evening one fortunate member of the audience will play a game with him!” The subsequent cheering lasted longer and was really deafening. The commentator had to wait for the noise to subside a bit. “So, without much to say, Viktor Krum!”

The man flew out wearing his Puddlemere United uniform and went around the Stadium doing maneuvers while the people chanted ‘Krum! Krum!’. After going around once, he stopped in the middle, where a staff member of Puddlemere waited for him to announce the fortunate person from the audience.

“There is only one person I vould like to face in a match, Iolanze Potter.” Krum’s declaration made the Stadium fall silent but came back to life when another person came flying out from the Puddlemere’s side of the stadium. The new charms placed in the Stadium like a gigantic screen showed everybody the close up of one Iolanthe Potter wearing the Puddlemere uniform too and mounted in a broom of the team. She had been notified half an hour before the start of the match about the event.

Her entrance wasn’t as dramatic as Viktor’s but she enjoyed freely flying around a Stadium in an official match; at least, she could brag she did it. She reached the middle of the pitch too and the Staff member explained to everybody what the event was about, though it was pretty obvious it was to catch the Snitch as both were Seekers. The noise level in the Stadium peaked when both players mounted their brooms and the Snitch was released.

It had to be said that a match between Seekers was a bit dull to watch normally but the commentator did an amazing job keeping everybody entertained regaling the people with tidbits of information regarding Viktor’s or Iolanthe’s matches at the beginning of the match when the Snitch hadn’t been spotted. Iolanthe wondered how the man was able to gather that much information about her but then she remembered Draco was also called out and guessed it must have been him.

As the competition between both Seekers progressed, the audience was awed at the fierceness of both players; feinting here, chasing there, it surprised everybody that Iolanthe Potter could play neck-to-neck with Viktor Krum. Many lamented the wasted talent in Iolanthe and others cursed the inability of the British Teams to uncover this jewel. She was equally reckless on a broom like Viktor that the audience was kept on their toes by their flying. If only they knew that Iolanthe was invited by all the teams and all of them were rejected by her, they would cry and hate Iolanthe instead.

It wasn’t until 20 minutes later that the Snitch was sighted and a mad race for it began. Viktor’s stocky build threatened to fell Iolanthe from her broom every time they clashed together, something Viktor took advantage because Iolanthe’s nimbleness made him realize she was the perfect Seeker and had more chances to catch the Snitch than him. Just when both were reaching for the Snitch, Iolanthe got distracted by a shadow in the corner of her eyes making Krum catch the Snitch.

The Stadium became a raucous mess and everybody cheered for both players who gave them an exciting performance of high-quality Seekers, however it all died down when Iolanthe kicked Viktor out of the way of a green jet of light. The audience didn’t even have the time to panic when Iolanthe threw a volley of spells towards the figure flying around in a wisp of black smoke. Impedimenta and Incarcerous were batted away by the opponent but a quick and overpowered Stupefy finally saw them falling down to the pitch.

In the silence, Iolanthe’s voice amplified by a Sonorus was particularly loud.

“Any Auror on duty please escort this person out and send them to the Ministry for interrogation.” The Aurors were taken out of their stupor of seeing such a fast paced exchange of spells and felt a bit ashamed by their inaction. They orderly shackled the criminal and Disapparated. “Let the match begin Mr. Referee.” Iolanthe cheerfully called and luckily the commentator was quick-witted and animatedly began introducing the players for both teams making the dangerous display nothing but a dream that the audience wondered if it was all real.

Iolanthe quietly made her way out. Reborn and the others were already waiting for her in the Dressing Rooms and seeing their solemn faces made her instantly change her clothes not caring there were others to see. She transfigured the pretty dress she had donned herself with to attend the game to a jumpsuit and wore it. Subconsciously, she began giving orders as if she was back to that time her friends’ lives and hers depended on her decisions.

“It was a rogue Death Eater,” she started. Draco’s right hand flinched towards his left forearm; action that was caught by Reborn making him narrow his eyes. “I am sure others were notified so we must leave to avoid creating mass panic with a fight. Dino you are coming with me at the front, Draco, you and Dr. Shamal will bring the rear, Renato, you will use this,” she took out her Invisibility Cloak from her expanded purse ignoring her Husband’s jerk at being called by his real name. “Provide cover when you can. Oh, and Draco, this is not a simulation, aim to maim or kill, I will cover for you if trouble arises. Let’s move.”

Draco’s expression turned grave but still nodded. During the war, his parents did everything they could to prevent him from fighting and even at Hogwarts he barely participated in the battle. Afterward, Iolanthe did her best to train him just in case but deep inside he truly hoped he wouldn’t have to use his new skills.

They orderly made their way out but just when they thought they would leave without a confrontation and Disapparate without problems, they were attacked.

“Protego!” Iolanthe reacted quickly, planting herself in front of Dino to start her counterattack; she sent a Bombarda to disrupt the enemies’ pace followed by a Reducto, a Lumos Maxima to help her find where they were located while blinding them. A well-placed Confringo set someone on fire while she dodge a purple light she was sure was the Entrail-Expelling Curse, her Protego shattered from an overpowered Expulso and she wasn’t able to dodge a curse towards her middle.

She pushed Dino to the side helping him dodge a sneaky Crucio while she casted a Levicorpus sending a body flying. The sudden bullets hitting their targets around them let her know that Renato was able to find a good place to snipe, that allowed her to cast a Protego Horribilis around the group to protect them from most Dark Curses. She still had to manhandle Dino around to dodge either a Crucio or an Avada Kedavra earning many wounds from random spells thrown at her direction she wasn’t able to dodge.

She turned to deal with another man that tried to approach them by casting an Expelliarmus and was able to see Draco casting a Sectumsempra making a man scream bloody murder. The Malfoy Heir wasn’t looking that well and Iolanthe hesitated to go help and that moment of distraction let her opponents successfully cast an Obscuro and send a Crucio to her. The pain was so sudden that she fell on her knees screaming and violently jerking.

Draco increased his pace but couldn’t shake off the people he was battling to go help Iolanthe, an Incendio flew past his head and sent a thankful look towards Shamal who timely pushed him to the side to avoid another nasty curse. Draco noticed that Shamal was silently but not that efficiently, due to the fast-paced battle, dealing with some Death Eaters and made him wonder for a split second how he was doing it.

Being affected by the Cruciatus Curse, Iolanthe barely heard Renato yell her name and gritting her teeth she forced the jerking away to cast a Fumos. A screen of black smoke surrounded them providing the necessary cover for her to cast a Fiendfyre. The respite they got from the fire curse, let Draco cast a Portus with his torn sleeve and made everybody touch the fabric letting the uncontrolled fire deal with the Death Eaters while they were whisked away.

The moment they appeared in the Parlour, Iolanthe collapsed, her body still twitching from the Cruciatus.

“Move!” Draco forcefully made way towards Iolanthe not caring if he pushed her Husband away and ignoring his own burns and bleeding cuts, he set on to mend his friend. He was more than aware that she would use her own body to protect Dino and he was seeing the results from her completely burned right leg while the left side of her ribs was profusely bleeding, the wound already festering and many more cuts here and there. “Someone use the Floo to call Astoria.” He ordered.

Reborn, having learned how to use the Floo and being worried about his Wife, ran to the Fireplace and hurriedly called for Draco’s Fiancée who appeared a couple of minutes later to find Draco casting a nonverbal Vulnera Sanentur while calling for Kreacher and listing numerous Potions. Astoria took charge of the healing as Draco applied Salves and spelled other Potions into Iolanthe for the festering, the fever that was beginning and another for the effects of the Cruciatus.

The Potion wasn’t very effective but it was the best he had to help for the frayed nerves.

Reborn, Dino and Shamal watched from the sides how Draco and Astoria made a quick work on Iolanthe healing this wound and that burn. When they deemed her stable, Kreacher sent her to her rooms, Reborn didn’t even need to be told when he quickly made his way up leaving Astoria to take care of Draco. He sported his fair share of wounds but it was obvious the Death Eaters where aiming for Iolanthe so the others weren’t that hurt. It helped that many died being shot by the hidden Reborn.

Said Hitman had already arrived to the Master Bedroom to find Iolanthe regaining consciousness. He sternly prevented her from rising from the bed and his eyes roamed her body easily locating her less severe wounds through her shredded clothes. He decisively walked towards the bathroom and a moment later Iolanthe saw him coming back with Leon carrying the First-Aid Kit, a bowl with water and a towel.

“What are you doing?” She feebly asked.

“I’m going to tend your wounds.” He was no doctor and his Flames barely healed as he never bothered to learn that aspect of them, however he knew how to clean and bandage wounds the normal way. He ignored a voice in his head telling him that he only did it to reassure himself that she was fine because he cared for her.

“I- No, that’s ok, I can do it myself!” She panickily tried to incorporate yet wasn’t able when her Husband easily stopped her with overwhelming strength that shouldn’t exist in such a tiny body. “Reborn.” She timidly called out.

“Hush, Iolanthe, let me do this.” Iolanthe noticed the tensed shoulders and the pursed lips of her Husband, forcing her to relax when she realized that Reborn was worried. She chased away any thoughts regarding the small hands undressing her and she looked anywhere but him to avoid seeing the focused face of the Hitman.

She tried her best to not react to the stinging while he cleaned her wounds and then gently bandaged them. His hands were very warm on her naked skin lulling her into a dazed state that she didn’t notice when he was done and just sat there, looking very pensive.

To Reborn it was amazing seeing his Wife fighting. It was like a dance to her, dodging this and that way, turn here and there, her arm always raised, her hand endlessly flicking her wand, the lights from the spells illuminating her face; the sheer power she exuded, the decisiveness and focus on her face made her look really alluring. Not even the most beautiful Hitman or Assassin he had encountered looked as beautiful as Iolanthe with her precise movements and flying dark hair, her eyes alight with unrestrained energy.

But seeing her wounded, cut, burned and twitching on the floor while screaming to the Heavens shattered that image for a split second before witnessing her stubbornness and how she rose by sheer willpower to cast such vicious Magic. He saw how many of the people that had been attacking them vanished in ashes with a mere touch of that fire. Not even Storm Flames were that effective, well, perhaps Fon would manage to do the same and with more control than what Iolanthe conjured. The fire bird indiscriminately burnt it all which was proof enough that it was pretty advanced Magic.

Reborn thought her a tragic beauty and a dangerous woman, you simply did not know when she would smile at you or attack you. He also was able to see that whenever Iolanthe fought, she disregarded her own safety just to make sure others wouldn’t get hurt, as a result, she selflessly shielded Dino from some spells while batting away others. He wouldn’t blame Dino for not reacting to such a battle, even him was having troubles keeping up with both Draco and Iolanthe.

He had no qualms in saying he was the best, he was a very fast shooter and was always precise but he had never fought with people that could turn into smoke just to avoid attacks. They were very experienced in their methods and that just let him know that Magicals could very quickly kill you if they were trained enough -like Iolanthe- and he vowed not to slack behind so next time his Wife was in danger it would be him protecting her and not the other way around.

Seeing her drowsy, almost asleep face made Reborn sigh and bury himself in her arms taking special care not to jostle her wounds; laying there, he realize he didn’t know when he started fancying her.

 


	15. Going Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn and Draco have a rather heavy conversation in which the Arcobaleno realizes an important matter regarding Iolanthe and he promptly arranges things.

* * *

 

The morning was chilly. The cold days were coming to London and September was almost reaching its end. The cold winds and thin fog reminded Reborn of the day he found Twelve Grimmauld Place and how his life turned upside-down around a month ago; he got a Wife, was obliged to provide a kid before the end of July next year, became a Lord and Duke but most importantly he was bound by a vow to do his utmost in making his marriage work and not let it sink like an old boat.  

And that’s why, he stood in front of Draco’s room.

He knew there were many things his darling Wife, Iolanthe, wasn’t telling him about the war and its participants and he respected her decision to find the right time to recount all her experiences during those dark years yet he was unable to overlook the fact that Draco Lucius Malfoy was at some point during war part of the opposition, he was considered an enemy by Iolanthe and he wouldn’t be acting like a good Husband if he ignored the signals.

For instance, the man never wore short-sleeved shirts. That could mean he simply didn’t like them, but even Reborn sometimes pulled his long sleeves up which Draco never did. The blond man would also sometimes rub his left forearm as if it was normal for it to hurt or something of the like. Finally, his expression changes whenever ‘Death Eater’ or ‘Lord Voldemort’ are mentioned, he would even flinch at the latter. Those actions raised flags on Reborn for suspicious behavior and as much as he trusted Iolanthe’s judgement on a person, it was not in his nature to let these kind of things slip by.

So, he decisively knocked on Draco’s bedroom door and waited.

The door was opened by the Doctor -Healer, he reminded himself- he called the day before to tend to Iolanthe’s severe wounds, if he remembered correctly her name was Astoria, a Daughter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Greengrass and Draco’s fiancée, to be wed in Spring. For a second, Reborn thought he had come at a bad time when he noticed Draco buttoning up his shirt and looking not presentable enough but Astoria’s face didn’t let anything out.

The Sun Arcobaleno was impressed by her poise.

“May I come in?” He still politely asked. Just because he was on a mission and was the Lord of the house they inhabited, didn’t mean he wanted to barge in people’s privacy -much.

“Please, Lord Potter.” Astoria stood aside to let Reborn in. She was flabbergasted at seeing Iolanthe’s Husband looking for Draco so early in the morning and the thought that maybe her Fiancé was in trouble crossed her mind yet her face was as impassive as ever.

Reborn walked directly to the small Sitting Area in the room and couldn’t help notice the Malfoy Heir’s room was the complete opposite to Iolanthe’s. Hers was donned with bright yet elegant colors that instantly put you at ease and allowed you to get comfortable in the room; Draco’s instead was very sober with dark colors with some silver here and there, it plainly looked more like an scholar’s room with its many books, paper and a huge desk occupying half the room while the side of the bed was almost functional, almost. The expensive-looking bed and covers ruined the image.  

A tea set appeared the moment Draco sat in the loveseat together with Astoria and Reborn just couldn’t conceive how English people drank something as mild as tea early in the morning. He promptly made Leon take out the coffee maker so he could prepare himself a nice cup of coffee to completely wake up. The silence remained while the three enjoyed their own beverages, it wasn’t until the second cup was being served that Astoria decided to open the conversation.

“How’s Lady Potter doing?” Astoria decided to use Iolanthe’s official name seeing as Lord Potter had a solemn attitude even if he was just sipping coffee. She was never deceived by the cursed form of the man and could figure out when someone was a dangerous individual, this man in front of her, for all he looked like a kid, could easily kill her right there and then. She was no expert, but she could still feel the pressure the man subjected others with.

Reborn slowly placed his cup down on the saucer and not looking up replied with a mild tone, “She’s fine, still sleeping. I thank you for your assistance in restoring her back to health.” It was obvious to him that despite her young age and not being an official Healer yet, the woman in front of him was very capable in the art.

“No need for thanks, I am indebted to Lady Potter so I would do my best to help her.” Astoria lightly smiled and Reborn could see the honest gratitude with which she regarded Iolanthe. There was another story there that he would need to ask later. He merely nodded acknowledging her words.

“Please state your affair, Lord Potter,” Draco interjected. It was clear to him that Reborn didn’t come to have an inane conversation with them and enjoy a cup of tea/coffee together. Astoria’s subtle dig on Iolanthe’s Husband mood didn’t help them gauge much so he decided to be upfront with the matter.

Reborn’s eyes sharpened and forfeiting his cup, he got comfortable in the armchair and imperiously demanded. “Show me your left forearm.” The way Draco stiffened and Astoria’s grip on her cup tightened was very telling. Grim determination filled the blond man’s eyes and putting his cup down, he immediately rolled his sleeve to show a faded tattoo of a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth.

Reborn didn’t have to be Magical to feel the dark energy coming out from it, it was very subtle, as if dying but it was still there and it looked even more damning on his pale skin.

“Explain.” Reborn said with a solemn voice.

Draco gulped and his eyes intently stared at the Dark Mark, the proof of his faults, of his almost condemnation and his shame. He took a breath and feeling the small hand of his Fiancée grabbing his trembling one providing the much needed support, he looked at Reborn in the eye.

“You know that the Wizarding World is ruled by bigotry, discrimination and status, right?” He moistened his dry lips with his tongue and continued. “In Pureblood society it is even more obvious and it is normal to hear someone mock Mudbloods, Halfbreeds and Blood Traitors, thinking them the vermin of our Magical World and that they don’t deserve a place among us. I was one of those who thought the same, many years ago. My Status as a Pureblood and raised as one thought me above others, disdaining them by their less than pure blood and saw them extremely lacking in all aspects.”

“The Malfoy name was once revered with power and influence but behind that veil of prestige was a name marred by this same mark, the Dark Mark, found in my Father’s arm too. He was a staunch believer of the ideals of the Dark Lord and vowed servitude to him just like my Grandfather did. The only reason my Father wasn’t imprisoned during the First War was because he bribed the right people and claimed to be under the Imperius Curse, one of the Unforgivable Curses, which can make a person control another.”

Reborn’s eyes creased at the mention of such curse. Magicals were even more dangerous than he imagined them to be.

“Even if he was declared innocent, the stain was there and my Father couldn’t depart from the stigma of being a Death Eater, a servant of the Dark Lord. Our only option was to make strong connections to wash away that stain so when I entered Hogwarts the best connection I could have made to uphold the Malfoy name was by becoming friends with Iolanthe Potter, the Girl-Who-Lived. Of course, my obnoxious little self could only manage to offend her and we instantly became rivals. As I said, the Wizarding World is full of bigotry and stereotypes, so I, as a Slytherin, was considered a villain in her eyes, a Dark Wizard and for many years I reveled being the bad guy in her life, to always oppose her.”

“As I grew up, I thought it was a silly rivalry but I couldn’t stop being what I had already become. At first, I continued the act until it wasn’t one anymore when the Dark Lord came back and darkness instantly fell upon us all. My house wasn’t the same outstanding Manor with its luxurious ornaments that I grew up in; it became the lair of murderers, rapists, corrupted people and all sort of deviants. At that moment, the life as I knew it shattered; my Father was not the mighty person I knew him by but a weak man that prostrated himself to kiss the hem of a lunatic’s robes, my Mother was not the elegant woman I loved but one who constantly showed fear for her family’s safety and I was not the simple teenager that was only worried about doing well in my exams but a pawn and the collateral victim of bad choices. I was forced to become what I was not.”

Reborn had to agree with Iolanthe that war truly didn’t consider anybody to fall upon their heads. The man in front of him was another example; even if part of the opposition, he was unwilling to fight for ideals not his, but the fact the Father was already deep in his own beliefs left Draco with no other choice, to survive that miserable environment he had to become one of them.

“This, Lord Potter,” said Draco bitterly while tapping the Dark Mark. “This is the sum of my hopelessness and my shame; with this I became the vermin of society, someone to be stepped on and thought better dead by many. This shows my struggle in being what I hated the most, a weak, helpless and sniveling fool. This mark mocks me everyday by telling me what a coward I was because I couldn’t make my own choices, that while others were fighting for freedom, I had already given up and was just waiting for someone else to provide it to me.”

Draco abruptly stood up and walked to his desk rummaging through the drawers to take out a piece of paper. Reborn took it when it was offered to him and noticed it was a news clip from the Newspaper with the title in the article reading ‘Girl-Who-Lived stands up for the Malfoys’.

The article looked like any other one but the person who wrote it was very adept at hinting things between lines. For example, there was the mocking words thrown at the Malfoy Family, once powerful but ending up destitute; also, it questioned Iolanthe’s decision to speak up for a Dark Family, one of the main followers of the Dark Lord and even ridiculed her remark of wanting to give a second chance to those who deserved it just like Albus Dumbledore did with Severus Snape.

It was clear that the public was out for revenge back then and these moments of kindness were easily ignored by all. Such was the depravity of human nature that they still had to put a woman who had sacrificed so much for them on the spot and mock her actions.

“If it wasn’t for Iolanthe, we, the Malfoys, would already be rotting and possibly dead in Azkaban. As someone from the opposite side, I saw her journey to freedom, her fierceness to protect what was precious to her while I just took away. There are no words to express how indebted we are with her, my Father can’t say a single remark about her, my Mother had to beg her for the life she is living now, and I, I decided it fell upon me to repay what she did.”

Draco finished his piece and waited for Iolanthe’s Husband verdict. He knew well enough that he didn’t have any excuses for what he did in the past, that’s why he was trying his best to leave that darkness behind and start anew.

“If I may, Lord Potter,” surprisingly Astoria interjected. “We understand that you don’t trust us enough but I still beg you to reconsider your thoughts and let us give back what was given to us by Iolanthe. Her selflessness knows no bounds and that’s why her actions are the more sincere, so we just want to let her know that not everybody around her is after her titles, money or fame but because we appreciate her for what she truly is. Just give us a chance!”

She bowed her head after she was done and Draco felt a pang in his chest. The road to let this woman, who against all the odds stood by his side, stand proud before others was bleak and long but he wouldn’t be Draco Malfoy if he wasn’t willing to shoulder the problems thrown at them and allow her head remain high, so he bowed towards Reborn even lower.

Time ticked by and the couple was starting to dread the words that would come out from Reborn’s mouth; however, they never thought that what they would hear at the end was, “I need to ask a favor of you, Heir Malfoy.”

“Anything, Lord Potter.” Draco did his best to avoid his relief to show in his voice.

“I finally realize I was rather naïve thinking that this slandering towards Iolanthe was a recent issue but this article tells me otherwise.” The Sun Arcobaleno stated placing the piece of paper on the table.

After lifting their heads, Draco continued. “She has been dealing with it since school and it was only her stubbornness and the fact surviving war was more important to her that she hasn’t caved to the pressure.”

“It has come to my attention that the articles are getting bolder by the day and speculations are being made regarding her choices. As her Husband I won’t stand to her name being dragged through the mud; measures need to be taken and clear all this hubbub of gossip.”

“A press conference.” Draco wasn’t a Slytherin in vain and quickly caught Reborn’s train of thought, which was confirmed by a nod.

“I admit that I am still ignorant in the matters of Magicals, so I will need help to arrange one.” Reborn sighed.

“Contact Parvati Patil.” Astoria said adding her bit into the conversation. “She is an intern at The Prophet, send her a letter with your request as Lord Potter, I don’t think she would be in place to reject it. Iolanthe doesn’t see it but her friends are her connections as Lady Potter.”

Reborn agreed with that. His Wife could sometimes be really simple-minded. “I guess this could be seen as my action being worthy of a Black.” He mused.

“Using your name to cower the press and make them do as you say? Definitely.” Draco assured. With the conversation over, the three instantly went back to their forgotten beverages to dispel any heavy atmosphere that had clung in the air.

Reborn got his answer and more than ever trusted Iolanthe’s judgement while Draco and Astoria were relieved to not be once again looked down by others. Lord Potter was very intimidating even in his tiny form yet was ready to provide with a second chance much like Iolanthe. Though, contrary to Iolanthe, the consequences of wasting his second chance didn’t have to be discussed. That was death. That’s how dangerous Lord Potter was.

“There is something I need to tell you about Iolanthe that skipped my mind, Lord Potter,” Astoria suddenly piped.

Now that she felt more at ease with the man’s presence and being, in a way, forgiven for their previous actions and trusted around Iolanthe, she could see the Husband that cared about his Wife so, it was natural for her to divulge this bit of information that only Iolanthe’s close friends and her as her Healer knew.

“I guess you are aware of her previous status as a human Horcrux, right?” Reborn confirmed with a nod. “After she came back from Turkey apprenticing from the Dark Magus, who was once a Healer too, she expressed her concern about being a Horcrux. Normally, only objects are used to make them and while Lord… Voldemort used his own snake as one, the animal wasn’t intelligent enough to know it was but a puppet to the Dark Lord. The human soul occupying its body left it with just basic instincts and a mere carcass while the invading soul slowly but surely took over its mind.”

“Are you telling me that Iolanthe…” Just the mere thought made Reborn pale, the image of his poor Wife being but a puppet to a maniac didn’t set well with him.

“No, Lord Potter, thankfully Iolanthe was able to avoid that,” Reborn wasn’t able to sigh in relief when Astoria continue with a “but, she didn’t escape completely from some effects.”

Only to relax hearing the explanation, he truly was not one for such a roller-coaster of emotions.

“It is nothing grave but they are noticeable if one knows the cause of them. For example, Iolanthe wasn’t a Parselmouth at birth; Lord Voldemort as a descendant of Salazar Slytherin was yet his soul, no matter how small, occupying her body for so long somehow transferred the ability and the destruction of it didn’t take it away. Though, she won’t be able to pass the ability to her kids. Next, the fact that her mind was intrinsically linked to another through the Horcrux left her unable to Occlude, she can’t protect her thoughts from people who are able to read them.”

“Lastly, her Magic is very unstable, you can see it by the way her Magic reacts to her emotions. That’s the result of her Magic unconsciously keeping the Horcrux’s influence at bay, so now that it isn’t being used for it, it has been left restless with nothing to do and takes advantage of her emotions to wreck havoc. Us Magicals learn to control our Magic throughout our early years; Iolanthe is a very powerful Witch with huge reserves of Magic, so she learnt to control her Magic not knowing about this other smaller portion already being used. She’s learning to deal with it but she is still having troubles as her Magical Core is already mature and set in its ways.”

“All these effects don’t particularly impede her to live a normal life. I just recommend you for her to avoid experiencing high emotions so the uncontrolled Magic doesn’t run rampant until she is able to put it to good use. My theory right now is that the moment she gets pregnant the loose Magic will have a purpose and protect her child from any harm resolving the issue temporarily, also the more children she has, the more she can transfer that restless Magic to her children. Witches are able to do that with their babies so they can have a certain connection with them.”

After her explanation, Astoria took a sip to moisten her dry throat and let Lord Potter digest the information. Meanwhile, Draco finally saw the light as to why Iolanthe couldn’t Occlude, he never thought she had told Astoria about that connection through the Horcrux and speculated about it. If he analyzed that information, it made complete sense. A sudden cough made the couple look at Reborn who was doing his best to hide his embarrassment.

“How… how many kids do we need to have so that issue is totally resolved?” Astoria and Draco took pity on him and didn’t comment on his voice breaking asking that question.

“My guess is six or seven.” Astoria replied bluntly.

“What?” Reborn faintly asked not believing his ears.

“Again, Iolanthe is a very powerful Witch so even if it is a small portion of Magic, it is very pure, so six is my minimum.”

“Six minimum…” However Reborn was going to spawn that many children when he wasn’t even sure if he could survive his curse? “Does she know?” He asked; as the affected person she must know, right?

Astoria nodded and her expression turned a bit sad. “She confided that she had always wanted a large family since she couldn’t experience one by herself. Iolanthe was thrilled when she discovered she had an excuse to make her dream come true.”

Reborn couldn’t help his heart going to his Wife, she definitely had the resources to raise a big family so she just needed to find someone to have that family with and here she was, stuck with him who couldn’t even get her pregnant without going through a lot of trouble for it. He started to feel useless and sorry towards his Wife but he vowed to make her dream come true, no matter what.

“Right, that should be left for later, for now, I need to deal with the pressing issue of clearing misunderstandings.” Reborn’s smirk was pure evil making a chill ran down the couple’s spine and they couldn’t help light a candle for those who would suffer of his wrath if they didn’t do as he said.

…

Parvati Patil took her job very seriously. That she was only an intern didn’t stop her from being diligent in her tasks even if it was carrying paper around and being the chore girl in the office. She had been striving for a year to find an opportunity and she got a small one with the small article in the new section of The Prophet that let her vent her fashionista side and write about the new Trends around the World and most importantly the British society.

Whenever there was an important gathering from the Pureblood circles or any other event she was able to smuggle herself to said events and write about the choice in clothes the Lord, Ladies and important people wore for the evening. Her column had been gaining popularity recently as well as hate from those she criticized but that didn’t stop her from continuing writing. Her dream was to get a First Page scoop and was aware that her fashion articles wouldn’t let her achieve it; at most, it let her be known to some readers.

Many times, she had gone out to gather information her contacts sent her but another reporter would always beat her to it. The recent news about Iolanthe getting married was a good chance but using her good friend as a stepping stone for her career was something she would never do. In consequence, she let another chance slip by her fingers but at least her consciousness was clear, unlike those vapid vultures who wrote pure slander against Iolanthe.

She was only thankful that those people never asked her to write their articles like others sometimes did. As a mere intern, she couldn’t possibly refuse or she would risk losing her hard-earned spot in such an important Newspaper. So, she could only bitterly see her well-written piece of news with another person’s name at the very bottom. _One day,_ she vowed to herself. One day it was going to be her that got the best scoop, she just needed the chance.

The chance came in the form of an owl who swooped into her tiny office cluttered with high stacks of paper and where she was already getting herself comfortable to write about the new Winter clothing collection being released in Paris soon. The owl very regally stood in front of her but that just made her wary, owls with that attitude only belonged to aristocratic Purebloods and it wouldn’t be the first time that one of them sent her a cursed letter. With caution, she used her wand to check for malicious spells on the envelope and sighed in relief not finding one.

The moment she untied the envelope from the owl’s claw, it readily flew out not waiting for a response or even a snack. Parvati shrugged and eyed the envelope that had her name written on it in very nice calligraphy. Definitely an important Pureblood. Turning the envelop around her heart skipped a beat seeing the Potter crest sealing it, as Iolanthe’s friend it would be a sin if she didn’t recognize that crest but she still wasn’t able to recognize the writing.

A thought entered her mind and her heart began beating madly. She hurriedly opened the envelope to take out the rather short letter to then sit stunned reading the titles of the person signing it.

 

_Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter_

_Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black_

_Duke of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell._

There was no name in it but nobody would be so daring to use those titles freely. That left only one person with the enough guts to use them: the man himself. Parvati got dizzy realizing the importance of the letter. No one, absolutely no one knew Iolanthe’s Husband, there was a name attached to no face, he was simply a title, a Husband to their most important person, the man hadn’t even presented himself to any exclusive circle and Parvati was sure only Iolanthe’s closest friends knew him, meaning, Draco Malfoy and Luna Lovegood.

One owed her his life and the other was a very loyal friend so asking them about the man was the same as asking a wall. Parvati shakily read the letter and she almost collapse on the floor reading its contents.

 

* * *

 

_Miss Patil,_

_A very trustful source of mine told me you were the correct person to go to for an important matter I want to approach regarding numerous articles written by the Newspaper you work for that talk about my Wife, Iolanthe Potter._

_I’m not in any way making you responsible for them but I do require your help as one of Iolanthe’s friends to arrange for a press conference to take place on October 5 th in any venue of convenience (I expect to be notified previously when you find one)._

_I do make you responsible for the whole affair and expect a job well done as it will help my Wife to clear any misunderstandings people have with her and help me not take action against those creating them._

_Hoping to hear from you soon._

_Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter_

_Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black_

_Duke of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell._

 

* * *

 

Parvati, deep down, had been waiting for this the moment she heard Iolanthe had gotten married. Iolanthe was too good of a person to take action against those that talked bad about her but it was clear as day that her Husband was not like her. Parvati sighed wistfully thinking Iolanthe a very fortunate woman to be able to find a man who would stand for her and not allow her image to be tarnished.

Seeing her chance had finally come, Parvati threw herself to the task of writing an article titled ‘Lord Potter: on defense of Lady Potter’ to present together with the letter to the Chief Editor and hope it would become a First Page news for the evening issue. When she presented both papers to her boss, the man paled and she knew he was profusely regretting his actions of letting people write whatever they wanted about their Savior just to get more readers.

It was a beautiful move from Lord Potter and Parvati was already thinking what she would do about the press conference. As soon as he got the go ahead from the Chief Editor, she ran back to her office to write a few letters, this would be the very first official conference Iolanthe would give to the press as she disappeared from the public not giving anybody the chance to ask her anything after the war.

This was a very important event that left the whole offices of The Prophet in Chaos that morning and later the whole British community was in an uproar after reading the Evening Issue of the newspaper featuring in their first page the article wrote by Parvati Patil and the very sentence from Lord Potter’s letter ‘it will help my Wife to clear any misunderstandings people have with her and help me not take action against those creating them’.

Many smart people found the subtle threat from the man and were even more eager to know what will happen during that press conference. Soon, not only the British community knew about it, the news leaked to the important Newspapers from other countries the following days and instantly asked their own Ministry to provide international Portkeys to be able to attend this event.

After all, Saviors of a whole Wizarding Community didn’t appear every day, less those who featured a Prophecy and lived to tell the tale. This opportunity, they wouldn’t let it pass!

…

At Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall, now Headmistress, was very surprised by the whole thing regarding her ex-student. She was inwardly happy for Iolanthe to be able to get such a caring Husband and at the same time worried about her. The Hogwarts’ Headmistress was no stranger to the articles directed to the now Lady Potter and many times she sent her complaints to any author who would write such hateful comments about her, yet as she was not influential as Albus Dumbledore once was in the Community, her complaints were totally ignored.

Now, she could finally see the day Iolanthe would be able to clear all those misunderstandings and was given the chance to explain the reasons for her decisions. All this thanks to the person who remained a mystery to all yet was very renown based on his titles alone. Minerva just hoped the man wasn’t doing it for fame.

An owl swooped down to stop in front of her and seeing the name ‘Parvati Patil’ made her guess the reason of Miss Patil’s letter. Minerva was confirmed of her suspicion when she read her ex-Gryffindor politely asking her if it was possible to use Hogwarts grounds for the press conference. Normally, the Headmistress would say no to such an event to take place where political moves weren’t allowed but just for Iolanthe, she would make the exception and wrote a response with her permission.

What the Headmistress didn’t expect was the owl sent by Lord Potter himself asking her for a different favor.

 _Truly a remarkable man,_ she thought reading the contents of the letter to then give a glance to the empty portrait of Severus Snape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you bash me with such a mild event for the Black courtship gift, let me explain. 
> 
> How I see it, a true Black is someone very, very Slytherin. As the Malfoys, most of Blacks have gone to that house, so then, they do things with cunning and a bit of arrogance. I don't know about the generation of Blacks we were presented with that are more crazy than a goat except for a few but I think the reason why they have always been a powerful Family was because of the way they do things. Truly a press conference is not that big of a Black thing but the thing to notice here is the threat from Reborn. 
> 
> Iolanthe had put the slandering aside because she decided there were more important things than rumors about her which are not new. But, Reborn who is a proud man, wants things to be done his way and doesn't take shit from anybody won't stand to people talking bad about his Wife. That's why, willing or not, he will make Iolanthe face the masses as a true Black. And if Iolanthe doesn't manage to convince the public, then he wouldn't mind going all Mafia on them. 
> 
> I am explaining this beforehand because this is not mentioned in any of the future chapters.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe and Draco face their first obstacle in breaking the Arcobaleno Curse, the Arcobaleno Curse itself.  
> Reborn uses his charms as a toddler and wins. His business finally bears fruits.  
> Minor tension starts to build in the married couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have just noticed... my summaries suck and I am considering in not writing them anymore xD
> 
> For those curious why Reborn was going around terrorizing London underworld, you get the answer here. Well, it's not directly written but you will connect the dots. 
> 
> And who thought that everything is roses in relationship? more so in an arranged marriage. The doors of conflict are being scratched xD
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!

* * *

 

The man responsible for all the Chaos his letter brought was standing on September 22nd in a ritual circle wearing nothing but a thin fabric that didn’t cover much. Luckily for him, the other person in the room was none other than his Wife wearing a similar piece of fabric as robe and for that he wasn’t complaining; in fact, he was very much enjoying the view. That his body was that of a toddler didn’t mean his mind was too; after all, he was a very healthy 26-year-old man before his calamity.

With Draco, they managed to keep all their actions of the previous day secret to Iolanthe. So, for now, she wasn’t aware she was required to attend a press conference on October 5th. For so long, she had been doing her utmost best to avoid anything that had to do with the press, therefore it wouldn’t be a surprise that when she discovers their actions behind her back, Hell will fall upon them. Reborn was fully prepared to sleep in the dog’s house… though, since they didn’t have a dog the dungeons it was.

Draco, as a good Slytherin, wasn’t one to let the chance slip away and recommended a cell in the dungeons that had the less bones and no Boggart. Reborn, as the little piece of shit he always was, stated that as his accomplice Draco would be sleeping next to him, with the Boggart.

That shut the Malfoy Heir up and stopped making fun of the Sun Arcobaleno. Astoria, being the intelligent woman she was, fled before she was involved in the matter. As such, the task rested upon Reborn and Draco to set up everything and make their best to keep it a secret. None of them wanted Iolanthe’s rage to fall upon them before the D-day.

Their actions were very subtle, the evening issue of The Prophet was hidden and then burnt. Meanwhile, Iolanthe spent most of the day lazing around due to her wounds and explained Reborn that the following day they would be using one of the Sabbats, Mabon, to practice a ritual. She stated that even if Mabon was considered as a time of balance, they were going to use it because it was also a time to explore oneself in a spiritual way, to find what lays inside us.

Hence their early preparations that day and subsequently getting into the room they were using for the ritual.

“So, tell me again, what are we doing here?” Reborn asked still ogling his Wife’s figure who was diligently drawing the rather simple Runes and placing some items he wasn’t sure what they were for. After all, the room they were in already had the basic lines of a ritual circle engraved on the floor; she didn’t need to do much.

“We surmised that to choose the most appropriate ritual to help you regain your normal body we need to know all the details involved in the Arcobaleno Curse. This ritual will help us know how it works specifically.” She patiently replied standing up giving Reborn full view of her front and how her bosom bounced.

Gulping to moisten his parched throat he asked, “And why do we have to wear this?”

“The robes will focus my Magic and let it smoothly enter your body and the Pacifier. It also prevents from any alien substance disrupting the ritual. They were made from the Acromantula silk I harvested before; this type of robes are very common when practicing the Sabbats. As today is Mabon, it will further strengthen the ritual.”

“Do they, really? Are we celebrating all the Sabbats?” Iolanthe was able to hear the desire in her Husband’s voice and couldn’t help tease him a bit by crossing her arms to pump up her bosom, the soft curse word was worth it.

“We might.” She demurely replied to then get serious. “Now, let’s begin. I just have to warn you, the ritual is very invasive and uncomfortable so please bear with it.” Reborn nodded and prepared himself for what was to come.

The moment Iolanthe started brandishing her wand, some of the materials, the herbs and some wood, burnt suffusing the room with a herbal smell, the stones around glowed and trembled and pressure started building up. He guessed the pressure was the Magic gathering to serve its purpose in the ritual. The sheer power made Reborn feel very constricted, also surprised when he realized that most of this Magic was coming from his Wife.

A powerful Witch indeed!

It wasn’t until she began chanting that he received the full brunt of the Magic almost taking him to his knees yet he persevered. He wasn’t one to back down a challenge and also didn’t want to be seen as a weakling.

_“Pluribus aperire secreta reliquit post tergum…”_

The invasive and uncomfortable feeling Iolanthe mentioned began as soon as she open her mouth. Sensing her intentions, the Magic around Reborn sipped into his body steadily and his nerves exploded in pain. He gritted his teeth, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead showing his effort to avoid screaming bloody murder.

_“Adiuva me intelligere qui sibi sub…”_

The spectacle of the same Magic that had once revolved inside his body coming out and beginning to form runes and numbers he didn’t understand, distracted him a bit from his pain. At the same time, he noticed his Wife was sweating like him; it was clear that handling this amount of Magic was not very easy for her and was taking a toll on her already weak body. Even then, her voice didn’t falter one bit and continued her chanting.

_“Iluminet per vias ait ista maledicto…”_

At that moment, Reborn could feel the Pacifier starting to react to the Magic that was invading it and was trying to retaliate. For a second, the pain spiked and he almost fainted from it; thankfully, it was all over when Iolanthe chanted the last word.

“ _Reneo!”_

The Magic in him abruptly left him and the ritual circle disappeared being washed away by the same Magic that drew the results of its analysis of the Arcobaleno Curse on the floor. Both Iolanthe and Reborn collapsed on the floor panting trying to regain their breath and chase away their exhaustion. In the end, it was Iolanthe who had more strength left on her and shakily picked up Reborn, taking him out of the room to directly Apparate them into her Rooms’ bathroom, leaving Draco, who had been standing outside the ritual room, to transcribe the runes and numbers into parchment and begin their study.

Reborn was in a stupor due to his tiredness. He never thought a ritual would be this demanding.

He distantly heard water running and hands that he recognized as Iolanthe’s peeling his soaking wet robe from his body. He had no time to feel embarrassed of his tiny body when he was gently laid in the tub filled with herbal scented water which helped his hurting body relax, taking care of his pain and exhaustion, so he was more than ready to enjoy the respite the bath brought him.

However, that was not to be when Iolanthe also entered the bath with him. His eyes opened wide and looked at her astonished.

This would be their first bath together! Actually, it would also be the first time he sees her totally naked! And here he was stuck in this cursed body, dead tired and not able to act naughty without making them both total creeps; he viciously ranted in his mind about the injustice of it all but outwardly he docilely let his Wife clean him with a soft sponge. He did his best to keep his eyes on her face yet they inadvertently slipped down her jaw, following the line of her neck, then the collarbone, down, down to…

“Did it hurt?” His eyes quickly snapped back to hers looking at him with a bit of concern. Seeing as Reborn was silent and somewhat downcast, Iolanthe, worried, reached the conclusion that maybe the ritual was too painful for him, sapping him of all his strength.

“A bit.” He automatically replied doing his mighty best to look straight at her eyes. Iolanthe hummed not really convinced but let the matter rest, though this time she kept an eye on him and not just absentmindedly going about her task, that’s how he caught his eyes naughtily and slowly slipping down to her bosom thinking he was being sneaky about it.

She chuckle, startling him but all she said was, “You can look.” She ignored her blushing face at her own daring offer and kept rubbing her Husband’s body.

She had courageously entered the bath with him so it would be normal if he looked at her. He was the man she would spend the rest of her life with, there was nothing wrong with the situation they were in. Well, a bit weird but not entirely wrong. She would also not admit that her own eyes were devouring the sight of the original, blurred form of her Husband and oh, what a sight it was!

Reborn was not one to reject an offer and quickly looked down and stared, intently stared at the two mounds right in front of him. The water was clear enough to give him a nice view of that line of three moles on the left one making the sight even more alluring. Though now that he was allowed to look, he wanted to go beyond. He couldn’t deny he was an opportunistic at heart.

That’s what being the Best Hitman was about, to grasp the best opportunity to end your target and right now his target were the fine assets in front of him. His evil claw slowly moved up with purpose. He could already feel their softness and hear Iolanthe’s reaction to his fondling yet he was swiftly stopped when Iolanthe’s own hand caught his.

“No touching.” She teased earning a groan from him but he wouldn’t easily desist, it would be an insult to his past of being a fine lover if he didn’t paw a bit.

“Not even one bit?”

“Nope.”

“A small pat?” He begged with wide eyes which he maintained seeing his Wife clearly caving in. “Very quick pat.”

She blushed and finally relented though it proved to be a mistake from her part when instead of a pat, she got a face buried in her naked bosom making her squeak. Her heart was furiously beating which he was able to hear being that close, yet he didn’t move; he was extremely comfortable there, thank you very much. This was his reward for his perseverance. Luckily, she didn’t try to pry him away and just continued her ministrations on his back.

The medicinal water plus the gentle rub relaxed him even more almost leaving him asleep on his Wife. She even bothered herself with washing his hair; if she wasn’t the best Wife in the world then he didn’t know who was.

That best Wife in the world pinched his buttocks making her laugh at his scandalized face. Never in his life had a woman the nerve to pinch him anywhere, he was more surprised than offended though and thought it fair enough as he clearly took advantage of her.

“The water is getting cold, we better get out.” She said with mirth. He hummed but had no intentions of moving to which she huffed.

She unceremoniously stood up dislodging him from her body and leaving him under the water. When he resurfaced, he totally missed seeing her naked body as she had already wrapped a towel around it and was on her way out of the bathroom. He pouted but got out of the tub too. He noticed his body wasn’t aching anymore. Marveling at the speed and efficiency of those herbs, he also wrapped a towel around his body and walked out the bathroom to find Iolanthe in her undergarments.

The sight was not new to Reborn though he still stared at her until she was completely dressed. This time she donned a lilac silk robe with a flowery pattern and just like the others she has, this one also hugged her figure in all the right places and added a very nice view of her bare back since it was backless. He had raided her wardrobe before, discovering she had hundreds of those robes in different styles, colors and patterns that he thought giving her a couple more wouldn’t hurt. She seemed to really like them.

Maybe he should buy matching ones for when he recovered his body.

Once she was dressed, Reborn moved to his side of the wardrobe to take out his clothes. Iolanthe had managed to convince him to keep some of his clothes in it, so he went around drawers taking out underwear, socks, pants, shirt, jacket, shoes and tie. He had also experimented with the wardrobe and once put all his clothes in it -which were not only a few as it also included his costumes for undercover missions. The thing was like a black hole and even after placing all his clothes, he still had space to browse. It was better than having Leon carrying around his clothes.

Though not that convenient as he was always moving around. Even his own apartment only had a couple of garments.

“Are you going out?” Iolanthe asked Reborn noticing him looking very handsome in one of his suits.

“Yeah, I need to go meet someone, I’ll take Dino with me. He says he wants to let his people know where he is so they don’t worry too much about him.” He replied putting one of his fedoras on his head hiding his wild hair.

“Ok, would you need anything?” She eyed the clock on her nightstand. It was almost four in the afternoon, later than she thought it was. They started the ritual at two plus the time in the bath, she never thought an hour had passed just like that. She still needed to check on the results of the ritual and resume their research.

“No, it’s ok, I’ll use the Floo.” Now that he could use it, Reborn had been using it lately to go out to find the only jeweler able to make the ring he had planned for Iolanthe. The previous day, he was able to harvest a few shells from the newly hatched Occamies and wanted to use them for the ring, he also had the gems he wanted to use and even a short inscription suitable for her.

Basically, the ring she will use represented them both leaving him with no chance to wear one. Though he considered the pocket watch and his Lord rings more than enough. He was not much for jewelry anyway.

He only needed to visit the jeweler he was able to find with the help of Draco and Astoria. He was also ready to get ripped off for the ring but he had enough money to buy even ten rings, much less just the one he intended to commission. So he left together with Dino, who had managed to contact his Famiglia and was going to meet with some membersto his endeavor in Wales where the jeweler lived.

…

Meanwhile, Draco and Iolanthe reunited in the Library and stood dumbfounded reading the Magical Analysis of the Arcobaleno Curse.

“This…” Draco really didn’t know what to say. “This is more complicated than we thought.”

“You think?” Was Iolanthe’s sarcastic reply. This complicated everything!

“We will need to consult other books, really ancient books to find the meaning of these Runes, the numbers might give us a clue but it’s going to be a really slow process just to decipher what all this means.”

“Right, then we better start now. If we can’t find the Runes in these books, then we might as well buy new ones.” Iolanthe sighed but was filled with determination. She saw all those runes as a challenge and she wouldn’t be a Potter if she bowed down to challenges.

Hours passed and they weren’t even close to figure out any of the Runes, it seemed the Runes for the Arcobaleno Curse were even older than the Runes Magicals typically used in their own rituals or wards. That just confirmed Iolanthe’s hypothesis that the Curse was very, very Ancient, she just didn’t know how old and feared that there were no more books regarding these Runes. If that was the case, then both her and Reborn were sure to die by July next year.

“Should we call a Rune Master?” She quietly mused in the silence of the library.

“Rune Masters use the same Runes we are using right now, they won’t know.” Draco said while intently staring at one of the runes. “I keep thinking this Rune looks familiar to me.” He tapped a Rune that looked like an X with one dot above and another below. Iolanthe glance at the Rune but it was unknown to her just like the others in the diagram so she kept perusing the books to try finding one that looked closely like any Rune there.

She was not having much progress but she didn’t give up.

As time went by, Iolanthe kept searching and Draco kept staring at the Rune he thought he had seen somewhere or at least something like it, but for the life of him, he couldn’t remember. It was this scene Reborn found when he entered the Library. He quietly made his way towards the mess that was that corner of the Library swerving around careful not to touch anything. He knew more than a few people who didn’t like it when others touched their mess, moreover, it was unknown how his Magical Wife and her friend would react if he did so. He wasn’t going to risk it.

He saw how Iolanthe huffed and closed the book she was reading to reach for another one. She looked very tired, her red eyes belying the fact she had been reading for hours now.

“Iolanthe,” he softly called to not surprise her but in the silence of the Library it sounded particularly loud. He quickly dodge two jets of light coming from both Iolanthe and Draco’s wands only to hear sighs when they noticed who it was that had interrupted their research.

“Reborn, welcome home.” Iolanthe said rubbing her tired eyes.

“I’ve been home for a couple of hours. It’s already midnight.” Reborn looked so unimpressed by her greeting.

“What?” She jumped casting a spell that clearly showed the time. 00:18. “Why aren’t you asleep?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Now he sounded angry. “Did you even eat dinner?”

He had spent some time just to find the jeweler’s house lost in some moors, then more time was spent making idle talk and explaining the ring’s design as well as the charms and all that stuff that Draco had said were normally inlaid in a Wedding Ring, to finally end up intimidating the old jeweler who wanted to make him the ring for the price of the moon. It didn’t take much persuasion, taking into account Reborn was providing the materials while the old man was just in charge of creating and charming it.

Nobody died, that’s why Reborn considered the negotiations a success.  

After all that hassle, he ended up politely accepting dinner from the very nervous jeweler. So when he arrived home, very late, he expected to find Iolanthe in bed or at least getting ready for bed but instead, the Bedroom was empty.

He waited for her thinking that maybe she was making a breakthrough with the research yet midnight came and passed and there were no signs of her. As a Hitman, not sleeping was sometimes part of his job yet he also knew the importance of a nice rest; even more for her who was using her brain more than her body. He hoped to find her buried in tons of books and madly scribbling things, instead he found her on the verge of falling asleep but stubbornly keeping herself awake.

“I’m…” Iolanthe stopped herself from saying she was fine knowing that would surely ignite her Husband’s anger. She could easily see when she was trying to be stubborn, thankfully being able to catch herself from saying something stupid. She also didn’t want to be scolded in front of Draco, that would be really embarrassing. Though, now that she wasn’t focused on something she could feel the fatigue in her body. “Let’s go to bed then.”

“No, first you will eat something and then you’ll go to bed.” Stated Reborn like a grumpy cat. She followed him out of the Library with a small smile on her face leaving Draco alone and still focused on the Rune.

Down in the kitchen, Iolanthe was dazzled by the image of her Husband cooking for her that she didn’t react until a creamy potato soup was placed in front of her. She took a sip and instantly fell in love with the soup; it was that delicious. The soup was gone in less than ten minutes wishing for another bowl but the fatigue crept again so she had no other choice but to desist and go to sleep. Though, she didn’t forget to reward her Husband with a rare peck on his lips.

That night she slept particularly well with Reborn tightly wrapped in her arms.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your author sometimes hates being a woman, so I will roll myself like a burrito on my bed and hope for the best for the rest of the day :D 
> 
> I think even my English regresses when sick xD


	17. Progress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What has Dino been doing all these days? Of course, been tortured by not only his demon tutor but Iolanthe too. 
> 
> After days of not knowing anything from the Arcobaleno Curse, there is finally some progress with bumps in between and a fight. 
> 
> And Luna enters again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if you didn't manage to guess what Reborn had been doing in London then you get the answer here ;) I had actually forgotten I had written the answer in this chapter xD
> 
> You thought everything was fine between Iolanthe and Reborn with their neverending shameless flirting? Nope! It is inevitable to discover things you dislike about someone when being instrinsically connected. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy :D

* * *

 

Dino hastily dodge the jet of light coming from an almost dead angle that he could barely detect thanks to his Sky intuition, then he jump over a rock which exploded when another jet of light collided with it. He panted and rested for a couple of seconds before launching himself to the side to avoid a sneaky grenade thrown at him. The wave from the explosion sent him rolling helping him avoid a shower of bullets though he wasn’t fast enough to avoid an attack directed at his feet and soon he found himself dangling upside down.

“Nice! You managed to last 1 more minute!” Iolanthe’s figure appeared from below the Invisibility Cloak helping Dino get back down.

“Congratulations Dino, in a battle you will get to live one more minute.” From Dino’s right, a rock suddenly moved revealing his tutor’s face.

“Well, he won’t be alone in a battle, isn’t he going to get some… what did you call them?” As always, Iolanthe saw the good in everything Dino did and that helped him have more confidence in what he was trying to achieve.

“Guardians, Iolanthe. Dino has none at the moment, that’s why it’s better to improve his own battle prowess. Who knows if his Guardians would be able to really protect him.”

“Just make sure he gets the best.” Iolanthe said dismissively.

“It’s not easy to get suitable Guardians. Some Skies don’t even get the full set.” Reborn patiently explained, after all, his Wife was still learning their ways.

“Oh, I see. Indeed, improving yourself is the best. Come Dino, let’s do one more round! Let’s see if I can’t make you the best warrior out there!” Iolanthe cheered before disappearing under her Cloak. Reborn just chuckled at her exuberance while disappearing too. Dino didn’t complain and just set to run and get himself a nice hiding spot.

For almost two weeks now, the research hadn’t bore any fruits even if Draco and Iolanthe owl ordered tens of new books of different applications of Runes and even esoteric Runes. They resorted to asking for books from other countries but still had to wait for them to arrive, then read them to find nothing and so on the cycle continued leaving them with some free time in their hands; Draco went back to his Potions while Iolanthe decided to help Reborn train Dino in combat.

Iolanthe had graciously charmed and warded one of the rooms in the dungeons to create something like the Come and Go Room in Hogwarts. Unfortunately, it could only change to pre-set scenarios like a city, a mountain, a forest, a desert, etc., and not to what the user needed but they made do with it. It was better than going to the different locations and bother the neighbors. For the time being, the training was all about reactions and quick decisions and the background was that of a forest.

Dino hid behind a particularly big tree root as well as keeping an eye and ear for any sound or movement in his surroundings. He had no problems detecting Reborn but trying to find Iolanthe was a complete headache. Also, once one managed to find him and started the barrage of attacks, the other would quickly appear to add to the difficulty. He had to admit that the both of them made an excellent team that at the beginning he had no chance against them.

He wasn’t that surprised about Reborn’s abilities, he had been under his tender care for two years now and each day he had to suffer something new; his dear tutor never seemed to exhaust his bag of tricks. What really astounded him was Iolanthe’s abilities, granted her Magic was a big boost but the way she used it was very precise and if she used different spells it would even be lethal; she never seemed to tire, was very patient and her attacks were never ending, one chained after the other. He guessed all those skills were born from her time during war and showed the amount of battles she had been part of.

A piercing whistle-like sound made Dino blank for a second before sprinting like crazy. The root he had used as his hiding spot instantly exploded spraying splinters everywhere. Dino used his Flames to burn a big chunk of wood flying towards him, then he ran towards some tall shrubs to cover for his mad dash. Not even a second later, a small figure rushed towards the site of the explosion seeing the results of his attack.

“You should have seen his reaction to your missile.” Iolanthe said from behind another tree near there. “He is growing by leaps and bounds, soon he would only need to learn the ins and outs of the Mafia.” Her tone carried a tone of wistfulness.

“He wasn’t this dedicated before, I am not sure what made him change his mind.” Reborn replied while scanning the area trying to discern the way his student had run to.

“It’s all thanks to you, dear Husband. Seeing you being so awesome while inflicting terror to the masses filled him with renewed motivation.” Iolanthe calmly walked in the direction Dino had escaped to, Reborn following beside her.

“You read his mind?” He had to admit that skill was very convenient. Iolanthe didn’t do it often so it was rare to hear her mention someone else’s thoughts. Though, his mind caught with her words and a thread of panic entered his body. After all, the only times he inflicted terror to people recently had been when he went looking for the gems for Iolanthe’s ring. Had she noticed something from those memories she managed to glean?

“I found it weird that he seemed to have changed his heart when at the beginning he was very unwilling towards your training, so I might have read his superficial thoughts. I have to say I also find myself impressed of your methods.” Just the sheer presence her Husband exuded while dealing with those people left her exhilarated. She more than once deemed herself as an Adrenaline junkie so it wasn’t rare if she got excited from Reborn’s encounters even if she was trying her best to leave that lifestyle behind.

Reborn smirked at Iolanthe’s breathless voice. “How impressed?”

Iolanthe laughed hearing him fishing for praising. She totally understood where he was coming from; there was also a time when she wanted everybody to acknowledge her deeds and praise her for a job well-done. He had been off-duty for some time while he got used to his new body and feared his skill had diminished, that’s why hearing someone praise his actions brought satisfaction to him and Iolanthe was not one who was stingy to show appreciation where it was due.

“Very impressed, Husband mine. Now, let’s go, we have a Dino to catch, the one who manages to catch him gets the loser to do everything the winner wants.” She suddenly said while Apparating.

“Oh, I’m on!” Reborn was excited by his Wife’s proposal so he didn’t lose time to run after his student leaving dust behind him.

Dino wasn’t aware he was the target of a very terrifying couple in the midst of a bet and just kept himself hidden in a hole he found; said hole had a strategic angle where he couldn’t actually be seen but he was able to identify any attacker. He tensed when he heard footsteps and waited with baited breath for the person to appear. If he wanted to survive, then he needed to get rid of one of them since as soon as one attacked, the other would follow easily defeating him.

The shape of the shadow revealed a lithe figure letting him know it was Iolanthe who had managed to guess where he had run to. The footsteps got closer until he could clearly see her back; she was looking around with her guard up. Dino decided that to take her out it was necessary to do it fast. She was able to finish fights in mere seconds when sometimes Flame users would take longer, that was how dangerous Magicals truly were.

He resolved his heart and his Flames reacted to his intentions; he leaped out of his hiding place quickly making his move.

Iolanthe heard the rustle of the leaves behind her, so she turned around to counterattack yet she didn’t think Dino would be this fast and she wasn’t able to dodge or even protect herself from his jab. She cried out from the sudden pain while her sight got blurry, she fought with all her might against losing consciousness and was able to land a hit of a Stinging Hex on him before fainting.

Dino was exhilarated. He had taken out the biggest threat even if he got hit in return, whatever that spell was, it was truly well-aimed; his right leg was numbed making it impossible for him to run away. As expected of a War Warrior, even on the verge of losing, she would always get the last hit. The adrenaline running in his body let Dino go back to the hole he had been hiding in. If Reborn found her body, he would most likely assume the culprit had already run away.

Not even seconds later, just when the Cavallone Heir arrived to his spot, the Sun Arcobaleno appeared. Seeing the collapsed body of his Wife, told him that a fight had occurred there yet he wasn’t able to find any marks and he instantly got suspicious. Dino keenly looked at his tutor’s actions wishing the Hitman would just continue on his way. It was a logical thought but he was still too naïve to think that Reborn followed the regular conventions when he simply made Leon transform into a Flamethrower and torched his surroundings.

Dino’s hiding spot was caught in the fire making him roll around while still trying to remain hidden, his numbed leg preventing him to dash out of the place completely. In the end, he was still seen by his tutor and was bombed to the Heavens. He cut a sorry figure laying on the floor, twitching but he still felt accomplished when he managed to ambush Iolanthe.

“Sigh, it seems you won the bet.” Dino startled when he looked at Iolanthe’s inert figure suddenly standing up. She patted her clothes to then cast an ‘Aqua Eructo’ to extinguish the fire around them.

“Stupid-Dino took you out?” Asked Reborn incredulous. Dino was more in disbelief, with his strength he knew it would have taken her some time to wake up, not mere minutes.

“He was very sneaky with his attack, very fast too.” She praised the Cavallone Heir. “Though, before you leave, make sure the enemy is truly out. If Reborn hadn’t appeared, I would have dragged you out of your rabbit hole.”

“How… weren’t you…” Dino didn’t know what he was supposed to say, he dumbly sat there as Iolanthe took care of his wounds.

“A nonverbal Rennervate, that’s how.” She casually replied. “Never give your back to the enemy; you don’t know what skills they might have to keep them still in the fight while you think them down. Maybe you should also cultivate some of those skills.” She mused while flicking her wand one last time.

“It’s better if you directly kill them, no need to check things up and no further retaliation” Reborn interjected.

Iolanthe only hummed, neither agreeing nor rejecting her Husband’s advice. During the training these couple of days she discovered her views differed greatly from Reborn’s. At first, she thought it was a matter of career, after all he was a Hitman, it was his job to get rid of people. Though that was not all, it was Reborn himself, his principles, his thoughts and his ideals that made him disregard life as mere trash. She truly couldn’t kill someone just for the sake of it. For protection, self-defense or accidental was the only way she was able to take a life and even then she felt horrible afterwards.

She didn’t want to think the number of people Reborn had robbed of their lives, how bloodstained the hands that touched her were. For the most part, she ignored it but the thought was always present in her mind not knowing what she could do to see him like any other person. Except he wasn’t like any other person, being a Hitman was a merciless path full of darkness and death, a path of danger and loneliness. She thought the only reason Reborn had friends or acquaintances was because of his Flames and the culture they had created in his World.

Otherwise, he would be a detached, cold, lonely man who only knew murder for money.

Normally, she would keep a healthy distance away from this type of people, never mind getting intrinsically connected to one. The fact her kids, if they ever activated or got Flames, would be introduced to such life made her despair and stop all research to simply die alongside him yet she was not cruel enough to deprive someone else from their life when they were forced to the situation they were in. She was also selfish enough to let herself enjoy marriage life even if it was with a killer.

It definitely wouldn’t be her life if some complicated stuff wasn’t involved.

There was also the matter that she actually liked her Husband and that sometimes terrified her. She concluded her own feelings had betrayed her and decided it was fine to fall in love with him so fast; it had barely been a month and she was already trying to find all of Reborn’s good sides and traits, instead of the bad ones like any blind fool in love. It was also embarrassing that she had been looking forward to him recovering his normal body, to actually feel that muscled chest and arms instead of only looking at them.

She truly was losing herself to an Italian man, a very handsome Italian man who was her Husband and not feeling bad for it.

“I think it’s time you get a weapon.” Reborn’s statement took Iolanthe from her thoughts.

“Really?” Dino couldn’t hide his delighted surprise. “What do you think will suit me best? A gun? A machine gun? Oh! A sword like Squalo! That would be awesome! Perhaps some knives!”

“A whip.” Both Reborn and Iolanthe said at the same time; it showed they had talked about it before and decided a whip was best for Dino.

“What?” Dino, on the other hand, didn’t thought so. Whips were for girls! Or at least he had seen many girls using them in the Academy. To say he was disappointed was an understatement.

“Look Dino,” Iolanthe began. “You are fast and strong, but let’s accept you are pants at pure hand-to-hand combat. Being fast doesn’t mean being nimble or that your reaction speed is enough, my Stinging Hex proves it, you didn’t even see it. Using a sword or any other close combat tool will only lead you to an early grave. So we thought a weapon with more range was better for you, it will give you the impact you need.”

“Then why not a gun?” Dino accepted he was sulking now.

This time it was Reborn who answered him with his not so kind words. “Because you are Stupid-Dino.” The resentful glare the Sun Arcobaleno got from his student made him sigh and explain. “You tend to forget how many bullets each gun needs.” This time Dino didn’t have an excuse and lowered his head in shame; he truly did that even in the Academy. “You have enough accuracy and strength to handle a whip, it also provides you with both attack and defense if used correctly. As Iolanthe said, you are fast and strong so I have high expectations of you mastering the use of the whip.”

It was the first time Reborn thought so high of Dino and the young Sky was truly touched to be able to hear those words from his demon tutor, more than ever he felt motivated to not disappoint him no matter how hard the training was.

 _Such a gullible child,_ both Iolanthe and Reborn thought seeing the determined face of Dino.

Actually there were other weapons he could have used, like a crossbow, knives, darts, etc., but they told him a whip was good enough because Iolanthe had found a really nice whip in the Black vaults while looking for books on Runes. The thing was sturdy, it had a few Runes engraved so it wouldn’t easily break, it was heavy, so attacks would deal serious damage and it even had a mechanism that made spikes spring up, spikes that were covered in poison.

She thought it would also have other hidden stuff so it would be nice to put it to use.  

They weren’t lying when they gave their observations to Dino and when Iolanthe presented the whip to Reborn, the Hitman instantly accepted her suggestion. Reborn thought Dino was skillful enough to pull it up.

Done with their hoaxing, Reborn gave Dino the Black whip while they made their way out of the Forest to move on to a different room from the repertoire in Iolanthe’s charmed door. Dino, meanwhile, inspected the whip with reverent fascination, it was heavier than he thought it would be and was really long; he suddenly found inspiration and thought thousands of ways in which he could use the weapon. He couldn’t wait to show Reborn that his hopes weren’t misplaced.

But reality was cruel and Dino ended up hitting himself more times than he hit his target. The thing wasn’t even moving, yet he was unable to connect a decent attack! It seemed using a whip wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be but he didn’t give up and kept swishing the whip in the way he knew would connect a hit to then modify that movement to vary his attacks. The result, he activated one of the hidden skills in the Whip and a Reducto flew to the immobile dummy reducing it to ashes.

Dino stood there dumbfounded not believing what he had just done. It wasn’t until the whip was snatched from his hand by Iolanthe who went through the motions of a Reducto making the spell fly out from the whip a bit too askew hitting the right wall instead that Dino reacted. Iolanthe was delighted to see the experiment proved her thoughts right.

It seemed the Black who built this whip had inlaid the Arithmantic formulae for the Reducto Curse to fire when it was moved in its specific movements. That gave Iolanthe a green light to experiment.

The next few hours, Reborn saw how his Wife manically taught Dino all the spells she knew in order to discover what other spells were in the whip. He could clearly see the zealous in her eyes and how Dino was a bit perturbed by her enthusiasm. Actually, Reborn too felt somewhat put off by this side of her. It was fine if she focused on academics but when she did it at the cost of her own health, Reborn thought she had to change that.

He had talked about it with Draco when he followed him down to his Potions Labs (Reborn disregarded the picture of a Wizard stirring a cauldron and adding questionable ingredients, it was too cliché) to find out if she was always like this.

“At the beginning it was worse. Before we underwent our N.E.W.T.s, we did an intensive study session. With Lovegood and Iolanthe, we barely slept and would sometimes forget to eat if it wasn’t for Kreacher daily bringing us food. Lovegood and I managed to calm down, starting to take it easy after the exams but Iolanthe had a harder time. She wanted to know it all, experiment it all and experience it all that I sometimes wondered if she was a closeted Ravenclaw. It wasn’t until Lovegood herself scolded her to rest that we discovered the reason: Iolanthe was never encouraged to pursue academics.”

After that conversation, Reborn was reminded that Iolanthe was raised to die young and as such, all she had learned those years was for the sole purpose to complete her task; things like studying and thinking of a career were but mere wishful dreams. It was sad yet that didn’t change Reborn’s opinion that Iolanthe was a bit self-destructive when studying and her stubbornness didn’t allow her to see it.

They had actually fought when she didn’t return to the bedroom to sleep three nights in a row.

Reborn naively expected that after that first night he had to drag her out of the Library to rest, she would look after herself. What she did was the contrary and he would always find her in the Library with red eyes and still madly reading through books. With three days of the same, the straw that broke the camel’s back was when she fell down the stairs while reading a book. He thought it was rather mean of him to instantly scold her for it instead of asking if she was ok but her reply had been truly infuriating.

“The book wasn’t damaged so it’s fine.”

The subsequent fight almost took down the house making Dino and Draco scurry away to who knows where; even the elf disappeared that day. They fought as if they were sworn enemies, screaming and attacking at each other, neither backing down from their own arguments until Reborn got blasted out of the house and didn’t return for days.

When Dino finally found him, Reborn was told that Iolanthe had been looking for him using every means possible. Of course Reborn knew that; he had seen her appear mere seconds after he had moved from one of the places he had been staying in. She frantically looked around but after not finding him, she sighed disappointed and went back. His anger was gone but he wanted to see to what extent she would still try to look for him.

He accepted he had underestimated her determination when the following day, she caught him while he was buying coffee in a small stall. They had stared at each other for seconds before she broke down crying and apologizing. Reborn was utterly flabbergasted by her reaction and looking around he noticed nobody was looking at her making a show of herself; he surmised it was her doing that they were unseen.

Their fight ended up in her accepting all his conditions before he returned to the house. After that, she always went back to the bedroom to sleep, took breaks between her research and bathed together with Reborn every night. Both won at the end. Right?

After hours experimenting, Dino and Iolanthe discovered the whip only had three spells, Reducto, Incendio and Bombarda. They also managed to discover that the whip could be used as focus for Dino’s Flames like a wand to a Wizard. That gave the Cavallone Heir many possibilities more. Though there was something he had been asking himself that he should have asked Iolanthe some time ago.

“Why is this whip like this? I mean, you said it can even act like a wand.”

“Well, before, it was not rare to find people carrying weapons.” Dino nodded, yes, if history wasn’t lying then there was a time where it was very common for people to use weapons. “Magical people was not the exception. Merlin, Morgana le Fay and Hogwarts’ founders were the most iconic people who used them. Though Merlin was more of an scholar, he was also proficient in combat and instead of a wand, he used a staff.”

“What about the others?” Dino asked marveled to hear that someone who he thought was a fictitious character like Merlin actually lived!

“From the founders, Godric Gryffindor used a sword together with his wand in duels; Salazar Slytherin, surprisingly used a spike, a lance if you might and hid his wand in it; Rowena Ravenclaw was a true scholar, she rarely fought but it was said she liked Archery while sweet Helga Hufflepuff never fought; though her deadly plants were better than an army.”

“And Morgana le Fay?” Dino could already imagine them during a fight or simply commanding murderous plants.

“Ah, her, my guess is that this Black person wanted to imitate Morgana le Fay since she also used a whip during battle.” Iolanthe replied casually. “People say that…”

A sharp crack resounded in the room and Draco appeared before Iolanthe smiling in triumph, “I found it.” Was all he said but Iolanthe understood and her expression turned solemn.

“Show me.” She simply said taking Draco’s arm Disapparating.

…

In the Library, both Draco and Iolanthe appeared in their cluttered corner with books opened and strewn around, many diagrams with Runes and Numbers littered the table, floor and nearby chairs. The place was a complete organized mess only they understood but in the corner of the big table, Draco had cleared the space of all paper and only a stack of cards could be seen.

“I knew I had seen that Rune somewhere and I know where. It was actually in a Tarot Card that my Mother had once showed me. She has always liked Mysticism and Divination, though the applicable methods not the load of tripe at Hogwarts. Anyway, she used to own several packs of Tarot Cards to practice her skills; I came across one of these packs when I was down in Knockturn. Don’t look at me that way, I was there trying to find ingredients for the potion you asked for.”

Iolanthe swallowed her protests and stood there silent while Draco placed the cards one by one on the table in eight groups with nineteen cards in each one . She looked at them noticing how some of the squiggles were the same as the Runes in the diagram they got from the Arcobaleno Curse.

“What type of Runes are these?” She asked picking up a card that contained some sort of 8 with dots inside the circles. She had never seen anything like it before; well, after the disastrous Divination classes at Hogwarts, she wanted to forget anything that had to do with it.

“These are Moon Glyphs. If you notice, the nineteen cards are repeated eight times and have another symbol in the right upper corner.” Iolanthe nodded confirming Draco’s words. “Those are moon phases and to use the cards one has to use the corresponding ones depending on the phase of the moon, only then could they truly work. Now, that is just how the cards work, the glyphs are another thing. It is unknown who made or discovered them but the idea behind them is to help create an astral fingerprint by using the stars and planets. It can be used either on a person or an object; in a person, they only divine what sort of influence their natal chart according to the stars can have on them, hence the Tarot Cards. However, if used on an object they help gather any kind of energy into that object.”

“So these glyphs were used in the Pacifier to help it continuously gather Reborn’s Magick.” Iolanthe surmised.

“Yeah, through the Numerology in the diagram we have found that although these glyphs are not the main core of the Runework, they are the pillars. For the time being let’s decipher what these glyphs tell us.” Iolanthe nodded and then went to work.

It actually took them hours just to barely understand a bit on how the seven Moon Glyphs worked in the Curse. They thought they knew what the numbers referred to yet they found that when combined with the Glyphs they meant something completely different. They still got the gist of it and could work with that. By the time they were done, it was almost midnight and as neither had the energy to go back to their rooms, they got comfortable in their own armchairs and fell asleep.

Though Iolanthe easily found herself the following morning ensconced in her bed, snuggly hugging her Husband.

…

In the deepest part of a Forest, Luna and Rolf Scamander were drinking from a bowl offered by a lady donned in colorful beads, leather and feathers.

It had been a while since they found the Hidebehind lurking the outer parts of the Forest where it was spotted and with many inconspicuous Confundus from Luna and Rofl luring the Creature to walk deep into the Forest, it was safe from being hunted or seen. Then they spent some time, observing said Creature to see if they could discover something new about it. After a week of doing that, they didn’t manage to find anything so they decided to give up.

Just as they were going back to civilization, Luna, in her own Luna-way, said, “I think we should take a walk in the Forest.”

Rolf, like the fool in love he was, accepted. The book Iolanthe sent with Luna contained a little letter that told him he needed to up his game or in Iolanthe’s words ‘Man up and confess your feelings already!’. So this walk in the Forest as Luna dubbed it might present him with the possibility to do so, he was just unsure how to do it.

The walk at first, was fun to him, spending more time with the girl he liked, camping under the starry sky, chatting about the Creatures they knew; he couldn’t complain about the lifestyle even if he couldn’t find an opportunity to out his feelings. It wasn’t until they had spent almost two weeks there with no direction whatsoever that he started to get worried. All thoughts about love forgotten.

“We aren’t lost, right?” He asked Luna while they were eating their last canned dinner.

“Hm, if we have to be lost, then so be it.” Contrary to her usually dreamy self, her words sounded with conviction as if she was on a mission and that made Rolf keep silent. It was not the first time that her actions took them to witness very important things.

Like that one time they arrived to a clearing and saw some Fairies dancing to the Full Moon during their mating season; or that other when they assisted a Unicorn to give birth to its foal. They had to run away when the male unicorn arrived but the deed was done and he found himself exhilarated by the experience. Not even his grandfather had done something like that!

So no, he was not worried where Luna’s steps took them, just that they had eaten all their food, even their emergency reserves and he hadn’t found an appropriate food source, like wild berries or mushrooms, to eat for the rest of the time they had to spend looking for what Luna was trying to find. Though, his worries were for naught when the very next morning, they were bound and carried by very strong men who only wore leather trousers and shoes and some beads in their long hair.

They looked very intimidating with their stocky build, tanned skin, bows, daggers and rough faces.

“I’m very sure this is a mistake; I beg your forgiveness if we have trespassed your territory, it wasn’t our intention. If you let us go, I assure you we will never do it again.” All the way, Rolf tried to dissuade the men to let them go in all the languages he had learned, yet he never got a response.

After some time walking, both Luna and Rolf could hear water running to what seemed like a waterfall. Luna said nothing and docilely got herself comfortable over the shoulder of the man who was carrying her, while Rolf prayed they weren’t going to be thrown down that waterfall. When they arrived, both marveled at the scenery before them, the crystal clear water falling down a ten-meter cliff to a pond creating an eternal rainbow, lush vegetation surrounding the pond and they could even hear some sort of tinkling in the air.

The place looked like any waterfall with a pond but they could tell there was something different about it, they just didn’t know what.

There was a cave beside the waterfall and the stocky men carried them inside through labyrinthine tunnels which neither bothered to remember. The deeper they went, the colder and darker it got, though there were some crystals in the tunnels walls that helped the men see the path they were taking. Rolf wondered where they were taking them until he couldn’t help gape to what he had in front of him.

It was a cavernous Hall, a very illuminated cavernous Hall, with some trees growing in the back, a stream winding through the small village that had tents erected around the place and the people that curiously watched them as they were taken through the village. Luna and Rolf were amazed at the sight of a tribe -because it was obvious they were a tribe- living in such a wonderful place. It almost felt as if they weren’t in the same planet. After their little tour through the village, they entered the small forest in the back and were unceremoniously thrown in front of another tent.

They could hear a voice whispering inside the tent and with nothing else to do, they waited. Their escorts had already left and there was nobody else around so it was obvious they were brought to talk to the person inside the tent. After a long wait, the lapel of the tent moved letting out clouds of smoke together with a small woman who wore the same trousers like the men, though there was nothing covering her upper part except a big and wide collar with all sorts of beads, bones and even shells.

Rolf ducked his head not wanting to see any other woman’s parts yet was still able to glimpse the numerous piercing in her ears and the beads and feathers in her hair.

When the woman talked, none of them could understand her but the woman kept talking while sitting in a stump beside a fire above which a pot was hanging. It seemed she was preparing something because she took out two bowls and smashed some ingredients in it to then pour whatever she was boiling in that pot into the bowls. She offered them the bowls and Rolf took it with hesitation; from the corner of his eyes he could see Luna taking everything in stride.

Luna was amazed by everything she saw.

There was something niggling in her mind that told her she had to roam around the Forest, she didn’t know for how long, yet she just did it. When the men appeared, she went on with the motions and just busied herself examining the beads in the hair of the man who was carrying her. The bead itself was something like a crystal and it looked like the hair was crystallized together with the bead. It was fascinating and she wanted to know how they managed that.

After seeing the woman coming out of the tent, Luna knew it was because of her that she had to stay in the Forest, she just wasn’t sure what she would help her with. And so, they spent the following days hearing the woman talk, even if they didn’t understand a thing, and drinking the same herbal soup.

During those days, Luna managed to work out the reason why they there. The woman, who had so kindly taken them in, was a Seer, though not like a normal Seer but a Channeler, someone who gets visions from Channeling a god. And this god was telling her that she needed to teach them some form of drawings; if Luna hadn’t participated in that mad study session, she wouldn’t have guessed that these drawings, same as Egyptian ones, were Runes.

Why she had to learn these Runes in a village so deep in the Forest, she didn’t know yet but she learned them either way.

Learning from someone you didn’t understand was very funny too, it was like playing charades with the woman not minding she had to gesture so they could guess the meaning. Rolf was particularly good at it and the process was even smoother than they thought it would be. All in all, it was a very interesting experience. They couldn’t roam the village since as outsiders it was forbidden but Luna still managed to convince the Seer to let her learn how to bead the hair.

Luna thought it was a nice gift for Iolanthe whose long, black hair would look better with colorful beads in it.

By the time they arrived back at London it was mid October and both couldn’t help notice that there was something different in the Community. They shrugged and said their goodbyes not before Rolf invited Luna to celebrate Samhain with him, she just answered with a “I will let you know” and Disapparated back to Twelve Grimmauld Place.

However, it seemed that not only the Community was different but the House too, seeing the place inundated in flowers. She navigated her way to the kitchen where she was sure she would find Iolanthe preparing lunch, but instead she found a Lord Potter making lunch.

“What’s Your Sunny Excellency preparing for lunch?” She asked in her usual airy self.

Reborn flinched and was ready to attack but could stop himself from doing so when he noticed who had talked. “Oh, Luna Lovegood, you have returned? Welcome back.”

“Thanks, Sunny Lord. So, why is it that Iolanthe isn’t preparing lunch? She always does so when at home. Has she gone to another of her long excursions?”

“No… she might be a bit angry at me, that’s why I have to make my own food.” Reborn had the decency to look a tiny bit embarrassed at his confession.

“That might explain the flowers, where is she right now?” Luna nodded. It was like Iolanthe to do something extreme when angry and required equal extreme measures to appease her.

“She sequestered herself in the Library. I haven’t seen her in about a week.” Reborn sighed and just when he had managed to get her to bath together, she goes and runs away from him. He was prepared for her getting angry when he arranged that press conference, he just didn’t know she would get this angry.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. She might have already forgiven you, she never stays angry at someone. Here,” Luna comforted while giving him a scroll of parchment. “This is my Wedding Gift, sorry it took so long. Congratulations again and I’ll make sure she goes back to her bedroom tonight so you can talk.”

Without waiting for a reply, she skipped out of the kitchen and went up to the Library. On the way up, she noticed the whole House was carpeted in flowers. Luna approved. It was nice to see that the Sunny Eminence was taking Iolanthe seriously. She knocked on one of the Library doors when she arrived in front of it and waited. The door slowly opened and as if it was a black hole, Luna was instantly pulled inside into a warm hug.

“Welcome back, Luna.” Iolanthe greeted the newcomer with a bear hug and after some time separated. “So, how was your trip?”

“Thanks. It was very fun,” Luna answered while being led to the corner where dozens upon dozens of books were piled, a huge chart of a diagram was levitating above a table that contained even more parchment than the floor. “The Hidebehind was huge, scaring Rolf into wanting to run away but we managed to take it to a place where he wouldn’t be seen by Muggles. We were also kidnapped and stayed in a charming village inside a cave playing charades with a Seer.”

“I’m glad you had fun, Luna. I must certainly accompany you next time.” Iolanthe was more than used when Luna got herself involved in more adventures than she initially intends for and seeing as she always comes back safely then her worry lessens.

“That would be lovely. So, will you tell me why Draco has rainbow hair and a woman’s body?” Luna’s voice was laced with mirth. It had been a while since the last time Iolanthe pranked someone. This prank smelled a bit like Padfoot and Moony had their paws in it.

“He thought it was smart to collude with my Husband to make me do a press conference.” Iolanthe dismissed and went back to studying the floating chart. Draco was busy scribbling something with a disgruntled face mutinously mumbling about ‘ingrate Witches’ and the injustice of how Iolanthe repaid him for the favor. Luna was starting to think there was something else going on yet decided to wait until later to question Draco.

Luna thought that it would be better if she rested from her trip, she was tired after all but her eyes fell on the chart and she casually said. “Oh, I learned those Runes in the middle back at that village.” Her thought of going to rest puffed out of existence when both Draco and Iolanthe fell on her like hyenas. It wasn’t until way into the night that she was let go not before sternly reminding Iolanthe she was a married woman and not a bachelorette sending Iolanthe to her bedroom like a grounded child.

Luna thought it was good to be home with her friends and happily went to sleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You author had to go around looking for Runes and found these Moon Glyphs that work well with what the Pacifier does. 
> 
> Don't despair dears, the press conference is next chapter so you will have to endure just for today :D


	18. Many people think like that or you think like that?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe faces the Media in a rather troublesome press conference and Reborn goes all Mafia at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The press conference either went the way you expected or it didn't xD   
> I just have to say that I had to watch a couple of interviews from Ibrahimovic, the football player, and Mourinho the DT because they are a bit savage while doing interviews. In fact, the question in the title, which is also included in the chapter, comes from Ibrahimovic. I laughed so hard when the interviewer got tongue tied after that :D 
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!

* * *

 

“You want me to what?!” Iolanthe screeched early the morning of October 5th when Reborn was doing her hair into an extravagant bun and attaching a fancy flowers-and-pearls headpiece that he recently bought for her. He even chose her dress; a long emerald dress with a flowery pattern embroidered in black. It was tight all the way until her thighs, then a flowing skirt followed, it also had a jewel neckline and short sleeves. Reborn actually liked seeing her wearing dresses with flowers, and he very much liked her wearing tight dresses.  

“I prepared a press conference today, it’s at Hogwarts in two hours.” Reborn casually repeated himself ignoring the pressure Iolanthe was letting off and finished doing her hair.

“Is this why you even picked my clothes?” Her tone was like the icy tundra and Reborn inwardly despaired. He never thought she would get this angry.

“Iolanthe,” He said with as much severity as he could muster but he sounded more frustrated than anything. “I have read all those articles written about you.”

“I don’t care about those articles.” She belligerently replied.

“I do!” His tone of voice made Iolanthe duck her head knowing very well she was acting like a moody child. “You were right saying that we are lost and we don’t know what to do about this marriage. I have no idea what I’m supposed to do, I still feel awkward and wanting to just run away. But I made a vow to you and if you don’t want to accept my concern as a Husband, at least do it as a friend. Don’t you want to let them know they are wrong?”

“As long as you know the truth, it’s fine if they don’t.” Was Iolanthe’s mulish reply.

“Hm, I know. I just want to see you tearing those lowlifes apart with your words.” Reborn smirked which made Iolanthe giggled.

“Always up for the Chaos.” She checked herself in the mirror one last time before standing up and turning towards Reborn.

“Make me proud and give me a good show.” Their mirrored smirks were pure evil and anyone who saw them would have ran away in fright. Of course, in Iolanthe’s mind, she also had to get revenge on her Husband for forcing her to do a press conference and in Hogwarts no less!

So, unknown to Reborn he was up for a few days of pain and humiliation. In the meantime, he was enjoying his breakfast and making small talk with Draco about the press conference giving Iolanthe last-minute advice of what to do and what not to do; she was free to say anything she wanted, after all, this event was arranged so people actually knew her true self, see for themselves that while they were cowering in their houses, she was out there fighting for the peace they were luxuriating in.

Iolanthe, Draco and a Cloaked Reborn arrived at Hogsmead before the set time after leaving Dino in central London where he would reunite with some people from the Cavallone Famiglia to give him the latest report in the Mafia World back in Italy. Reborn was supposed to go with him yet decided not to since he had something important to do at Hogwarts, more specifically with Headmistress Minerva McGonagall.

Hogsmead was packed and they could barely made their way up to Hogwarts where Professor Flitwick would be waiting for them to grant them entrance. People around them stopped to gawk, whisper and point at Iolanthe as if she was some sort of rarity. In people’s eyes she might as well be one; she was the Savior of the Wizarding Community yet Iolanthe never appeared in public and the only way people knew what she was doing was through the sensationalized news from The Prophet.

Under such attention, Iolanthe was doing her best to keep walking and not turn around and flee.

Seeing the jovial Charms Professor made her tension lessen and instantly struck up a conversation about the application of Charms in different Wards which the half-goblin was very proficient in. Seeing the throng of people already gathered around the monument they erected in memory of those who died in the Final Battle, made Iolanthe’s stomach twist but the small hand she could feel barely grasping her fingers, filled her with courage.

A small platform was placed in front of the Memorial that had a small table and two chairs; one was for her and the other she guessed was meant for Reborn, her Husband. She inwardly sneered. _As if I will let them know all about me._ Her eyes unconsciously went to the Memorial and she silently read the names there. She really felt like crying reading the names of Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Lavender Brown and even Colin Creevey, she also knew all the other names engraved in the stone.

Her fingers gently brushed all the names trying to connect with the precious memories she had of them but all that came to her mind were the images of their dead bodies or lack of them. The world was a cruel place and more than once she asked herself if she should be among the living.

“Iolanthe?” To the side, Parvati stood in silence giving her friend the moment she needed. When she called Iolanthe, she was able to see her eyes shadowed by her memories and misty with unshed tears. She really wanted to give her more time but the conference was about to begin and their schedule was tight as it was still school time. In fact, many students had also come to witness the event. “It’s time.”

Iolanthe nodded and took a deep breath to then walk up to the platform and sitting on one of the chairs. She looked at the dozens of reporters, the hundreds of students and the place she once called home in the background. With a flick of her wand, she casted a Sonorus and then it began.

“Thanks for coming despite your tight schedules. I am glad to be back at the place that once saw me grow up and I’m glad to see many of those who I call friends. My Husband was kind enough to set up this press conference so I could express myself and because he thought people needed to know who Iolanthe Jamie Potter is. You may begin.”

At first people hesitated, but Parvati took the chance to open the discussion with a question that would make Iolanthe open up.

“Can you tell us how you feel seeing the Memorial with the names of people you more than likely knew?” The other reporters looked at Parvati with envy as she had snatched a good question.

“It’s hard. I knew each and every one of them. They were classmates, friends, family and it pains me to see their names in this Memorial when they should also be around with us. But at the same time, I am proud; proud that they stood and fought for something they believed in. They faced danger but they did it with their heads held high and even if they died, I hope they did it without regrets and thinking they did something good for this Community.”

“You don’t think others should be dead instead?” This reporter instantly grasped the chance given by her words and even pointedly looked at Draco standing to the side. Other reporters nodded in agreement. Of course Iolanthe noticed this action and turned to look at her friend who looked somewhat pale by the accusation.

“The only ones I wanted to see dead were Lord Voldemort,” some people still flinched hearing his name. “For killing my parents and Bellatrix Lestrange for killing my Godfather. I have nothing against any other person who is part of the audience here.”

“I heard from one of my sources that you were enemies with one Draco Malfoy during your years at Hogwarts. I truthfully find it hard to believe that your actions towards the Malfoy Family didn’t have other meaning.” Well, Iolanthe though, at least the reporter didn’t mince his words and even hinted that she was trying to gather followers. It seemed it was naïve of her to expect a somewhat normal press conference.

Iolanthe sighed, “I will say this now, I owed a life debt to Narcissa Malfoy.” Many people gasped at the revelation and even Draco looked surprised. “The woman lied to the very Dark Lord she was supposed to serve and due to that lie, I could live. So, I repaid my debt by giving her and her Family another chance. Not many had the guts to oppose Voldemort during those times, many still cower hearing his name, so I feel deep respect for her despite our rough past.”

Iolanthe could see how many people felt ashamed hearing her words but there were still many who looked at her with hatred for exposing their weaknesses and it was one of those who shot the next question.

“What about Severus Snape? I heard you hated the man and that you constantly opposed him, even now you still dislike him.”

“Severus Snape was a petty man whose hatred towards me stemmed from the years he suffered in the hands of my Father, James Potter. Even if I couldn’t understand the man, he was still very honest with me. If he felt hate, he hated; if he wanted to let me know how much my presence displeased him, he always did so with his remarks. He was unlike many people who only tried to curry favor due to my fame or my many titles, those who plaster a fake smile while talking to me. I prefer his perpetual scowl to the sickening sweet words from fake people.” She harshly replied leaving the man red with fury and humiliation.

“Miss Potter…” A female reporter began. Iolanthe recognized her for the woman who had written the most vicious articles about her, so she instantly cut her off.

“Lady Potter, Lady Black or Duchess Peverell for you.” The woman pursed her lips preventing a scowl to appear on her face at being interrupted.

“Lady… Potter, I want to ask about your recent galivanting around the world learning dangerous Magic, many people think that those are the qualities of a Dark Lord and that you are starting to turn like Lord Voldemort, what can you tell us about this?” The smirk on the woman’s face was vicious and the question was accusing Iolanthe of going Dark.

“Many people think like that or you think like that?” Iolanthe returned making the smirk on the woman’s face freeze. There was even sparse laughter from the students at the back.

“I, of course, many people.” The woman tried to salvage her question.

“So far the only one who has told me something like this is you.” The older students whistled and laughed out loud at Iolanthe’s words. Most were the Gryffindors who had been together with her during her fifth and sixth year, even the Slytherins approved of her approach.

“I, I…”

Iolanthe took pity on the woman, though not so much when she continued with “What do you know about Lord Voldemort?” The question stumped the woman making her gape like a fish again. “What do you know about becoming a Dark Lord?” She then questioned the audience who couldn’t respond her. Obviously nobody knew with certainty what truly made a Dark Lord apart from mass destruction.

“Do you know about him? Lord Voldemort’s origins, I mean” A very timid question was raised by Parvati Patil. She wanted to help Iolanthe in this so it was best if Iolanthe explained herself.

“Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort,” Iolanthe began using the same spell Diary Tom used to write his name in the air to then rearrange it.

The audience watched entranced how the name ‘Tom Marvolo Riddle’ became ‘I am Lord Voldemort’. Seeing the name in the air made them still feel some sort of pressure, a heaviness settling in their hearts reminding them how the man terrorized their Community.

“He was born to a squib and a Muggle.” The press conference was in an uproar before that information. Little was known about the Dark Lord but this was absurd! The wizard was the envy of many Purebloods with his immense Magical reserves, he couldn’t be born from a squib and a Muggle. They refused to believe it! “He was the rightful descendant of Salazar Slytherin through his Mother Merope Gaunt.”

That sentence made the reporters fall silent. Even the international reporters knew about the Gaunts, the only British Family capable of speaking Parseltongue and in consequence the descendants from Salazar Slytherin. They also knew the Family had fallen in disgrace; destitute and with barely any Magic that it was a miracle they could use a wand.

“Tom Riddle didn’t know about his heritage having grown in an orphanage when his Mother died giving birth to him and his Father abandoned him.” Iolanthe continued her story not caring if the reporters were paying attention. “In the orphanage, he was constantly bullied by his peers due to being a Wizard, their fear took them to do cruel things to a child who had no idea as to what he was. He grew up hated, unloved and confused wondering why he was treated like that.”

“At a very young age, Tom Riddle started experimenting with his Magic by taking revenge on the kids who had been cruel to him because he didn’t want to feel weak, helpless and he didn’t want to fear. Fear, as you know, makes us do things that we never thought we were capable of. Fear of the unknown makes us want to destroy that what we don’t understand, it makes us cruel and despotic. We belittle others because we don’t want them to know we fear them, to know they are better than us.”

Iolanthe intently stared at the woman who had posed the question and saw how the woman paled at the viridian gaze.

“What was Lord Voldemort’s fear?” A French reporter asked. He wanted very much to know about the British Dark Lord.

“Lord Voldemort’s fear was very normal. He feared death.” Iolanthe smiled at the looks of disbelief in everybody’s faces. “That fear became irrational having lived during World War II. As an orphan, he had nowhere to go, no one to rely on. Hogwarts had become his only home; leaving it to go back to the place where he didn’t know if he would die without achieving anything frightened him. He always thought himself special, so he wanted to change his life for the better. Behind all those layers of madness and bloodthirstiness, there laid a misunderstood genius.”

“If there is someone to blame for who he became, blame those who discriminated him, the Purebloods who only thought him a ‘Mudblood’, someone who wouldn’t amount to nothing when all he wanted was for everybody to see what was there, a person with the potential to change this stagnated Community. But what did the students do? They considered him trash. What did the teachers do? They thought him a brilliant prospect though deep inside he was never taken seriously. Your own people created the monster.”

“Preposterous!”

“This is outrageous!”

“How dare you make such claims!”

“Liar!”

Iolanthe sat back seeing the circus in front of her. She understood well enough why Lord Voldemort was very adamant that this society needed change, she just didn’t like the method he was employing. Dumbledore was too soft, his methods not good enough for these people who didn’t like the truth even if it slapped them in the face.

“Did he find it? The way to avoid death, did he find it?” After the noise subsided, a question surfaced.

Iolanthe’s smile spooked the audience. “As I said, the man was a genius, he was Prefect and Head Boy, studied everything he could get his hands on. There was vast knowledge inside that head of his. Yet he delved into one of the so-called Forbidden Magicks, Soul Magic, and he ended up creating Horcruxes.” Iolanthe swore she heard a horrified ‘Oh Merlin above’ from the crowd. Going by the reaction of all the adults it was clear they all knew what they were. “Of course, all those were destroyed before he was killed once and for all.” The unison sighs of relief were very comical though Iolanthe restrained herself from laughing.

“Now, I ask you, Miss, what do you consider dangerous Magic? Seeing as you know what a Horcrux is, it means you have studied very Dark Magic too. Your question also suggested you know how to become a Dark Lord.” The people around the female reporter gave her searching looks and subtly moved away from her. The woman was trembling in fury looking for words to retaliate and put the brat in front of her in her place.

“How do you know all this? We, as reporters, never knew about this information. What if your tale is but a lie to avoid answering our questions?” The woman fumed and viciously spat her accusations.

“Are you saying you know more about Lord Voldemort than the person who taught the man himself? This information was given to me by Albus Dumbledore. If you don’t believe me, you can ask the man, there is a portrait in the Headmistress office. Of course, if he wants to tell you about it, it’s up to him.” Iolanthe casually replied. She didn’t care if they believed her or not.

True enough, nobody dared go up the office to disturb the old wizard. Many simply trusted that if the information came from Dumbledore then it was true.

“Since you have been studying a variety of Magicks, have you encountered one that you thought it was too dangerous?” Parvati once again saved the conference from descending into an awkward silence by asking neutral questions. Iolanthe paused to think her answer and the reporters got curious about what she would say.

“I guess Magic itself just is. It is us who have labeled Dark Magic as dangerous. I will just tell you something the Dark Lord once told me. There is no good and evil, there is only power and those too weak to seek it. He was right; there is no good or evil Magic in the world, those are just labels we don because we are ignorant. From the so-called Forbidden Magics, my parents used Sacrificial Magic so I could live, Professor Dumbledore used Blood Magic so nobody could harm me while I grew up with my relatives. I have seen people use Soul Magic to make spirits pass on without any grudge. The uses are infinite, we just focus on how it can harm us instead of how it can help us. We must know that Magic is all about balance!”

The Hogwarts’ teachers looked at Iolanthe with awe. Sincerely, this Community has propagated the idea that Light Magic was good and Dark Magic was evil that they had forgotten that Magic, more than anything always looked for a balance. For every Dark Spell, there was a Light Spell and there were as many Light rituals as there were Dark ones. The students, with their impressionable minds, also looked pensive at what their Savior said. Of course, many were of the mind that if Iolanthe Potter said it, then it was right. That’s how high they thought of her as a role model.

“Back to my question, Lady Potter,” the same woman spoke. The students in the back booed at her yet were silence by the Headmistress. “Can you give us a concrete answer to dismiss the rumors about you becoming the next Dark Lord or Lady?”

Iolanthe stared at the woman with very profound eyes. The silence continued for a couple of seconds and many thought Iolanthe wouldn’t answer. The Hogwarts students and staff were even affronted on behalf of her. The audacity the woman had for saying such accusations when it was obvious it was her who was calling Iolanthe the next Dark Lady.

“I remember Dumbledore’s words to me. ‘It is our choices, Iolanthe, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.’ With my galivanting, as you put it, I have seen many things, I acquired many new abilities and new knowledge but do you see me doing anything with it that is worth me being labeled as the next Dark Lady? I chose to save you all when you pushed me to the task. Do you think I would just go and destroy what I tried very hard to save?”

The silence that descended was very deafening and Iolanthe took that moment to drink water to calm down; she didn’t look it but she was furious. So far, she hadn’t said much about her but she had said enough to let them all know she didn’t need their permission to do what she does and that there was no need to fear what she had become.

“That doesn’t really say much about you not becoming the next Dark Lady. As you say, you can ‘choose’ to kill us all and reign the whole Wizarding Community.”

This other reporter was one of the supporters of the articles that claimed Iolanthe shouldn’t be studying Magic. The international reporters looked at this man with disgust knowing very well that most of the British media always sucked up to the powerful but then ignored them when they were taken down and even condemned them. Now they felt pity for Iolanthe Potter who had to face such brain-dead people.

“I will give you two examples of people who could have become Dark Lords but didn’t because they chose not to do so. The first one, Severus Snape. The man was also a very powerful Half-blood like Lord Voldemort, he was a genius in Potions, was very proficient at creating spells and he also had a past similar to Voldemort’s, he was abused by his very own Muggle Father and I bet many times he desired to kill him. Did he do it? No. Did he become a Dark Lord when he had the ability and the power? No. Why? Knowing him, maybe he thought this society wasn’t worth it. Second example, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.”

Iolanthe expected the shouts that arose at her declaration and she sat back letting them all say their piece. She couldn’t believe they were this naïve, this ignorant of their surroundings. When the crowd calmed down, she continued.

“The man had it everything, vast Magic, power, influence in the Ministry and a very good spot to brainwash the future generation to do his bid. It’s surprising, no?” The dazed gazes that turned into realization said it all. “He was a man with strong connections and could very well control the whole British Wizarding Community. He had even a good reason to hate and despise Muggles when three of them abused his little sister to the point she became unstable, instead he chose to protect them, care for them. Did he become a Dark Lord after getting all that power and had the reason to? No. They both chose not to become one. Why in your eyes I can’t make the same choice as them?”

“You are not like them, we still can’t believe your motives, your reasons.” The man stubbornly protested eager to put Iolanthe in her place at the cost of defending even an ex-Death Eater.

“What do you know about me?!” Iolanthe roared with force standing up and letting her Magic inundate the venue. All the reporters looked at her in fear. The teachers were stunned; they never thought her Magic would be this vast, this rich and the students kept quiet by the pressure of the Magic. “Are you telling me that you want me to become a Dark Lady? Is that what you want? Do you want another war? Do you want to see this Community in ruins just to prove yourself right? Is that what you want?!”

The man trembled and gaped like a fish not knowing what to say. Of course he didn’t want war but he also couldn’t say he wanted her to become a Dark Lord, that was just asking to get fired from his job for being unprofessional or being taken to Court for defamation.

“No, but…”

“But what? Am I not like them? Is it that your very informed self doesn’t know that I, too, grew up abused by my own Muggle family? Don’t you know that I was a Freak in their eyes and that I feared my own Magic because it only caused me suffering? Weren’t you aware that I was raised like a puppet to die in the hands of Lord Voldemort by the same Albus Dumbledore you glorify? Didn’t you know that whenever you celebrated the fall of a Dark Lord I was mourning the loss of my parents? You also must have known that while you were hiding like a coward and doing what the Death Eaters told you to do, I was out there being tortured by those Death Eaters. I was pursued like an animal and faced death countless times!”

“Do you want to know who I am?” She asked her astonished audience. “I am just an orphan who lost it all fighting for this Community because I believed in its people; the same people who is now condemning me and treating me like a rabid dog that needs to be put down! As if what I did for you is nothing! I have fame, unwanted as it is, I have money that I don’t know what to do with it and I have titles but I have no family!” People winced when they realized the truth of her statements. “What can this Community offer me after becoming a Dark Lady? Just a bunch of hypocrites that only know how to envy, hate and diminish others. Is it that my sacrifice is not enough for you?!”

The crowd was stunned. Never before had they seen someone being so unhinged during a press conference and the British media was even more shocked at being denounced by the very person they had been using as a scapegoat for their own fame in front of the International media. What would people around the world say about the British Wizarding Community when they read about the words said by the very upset Savior?

Yet, even if they wanted to salvage the situation, they had no words to redeem themselves. Right now, Iolanthe was seen like the victim and anything they said would be used against them. There was actually no point in continuing this press conference. The International media was already aware of what this event was all about, they will investigate and see for themselves that Iolanthe wasn’t lying. So no, talking would be counterproductive for them.

“I think this is enough.”

Everybody present suddenly turned to the voice putting an end to the press conference and stared dumbfounded at the toddler that had mysteriously appeared on the platform. They wondered if maybe the kid was lost.

“Excuse me, but, you… are you lost, kid? Shouldn’t you be with your parents?”

Everybody waited for the kid to reply, to the adult in charge of him to pick him up or something like that to happen. Something did happen, though it was not what they expected; killing intent descended on the unfortunate reporter making the man pale and sweat.

“You, you… who are you?!” The reporter cried out hysterically. It was the first time he had been so afraid in his life. The people around had no idea what was going on but were instantly on alert seeing the reaction from the reporter.

“Ciaossu! I am the one who arranged for this press conference.” Reborn casually greeted sitting beside Iolanthe.

A beat of silence and then someone cried out, “Lord Potter?!” This someone was none other than Parvati Patil. The others stared at the toddler in disbelief. It had to be a joke, Lord Potter couldn’t be a toddler, a baby. Just what was Iolanthe Potter thinking marrying a baby?

“Seeing as you have upset my Wife, I will have to stop this press conference.” Reborn’s words cause the reporters to raise their voices in protest.

“Don’t joke with this, kid!”

“Go home, kid, only adults are allowed.”

“Kids these days show no respect.”

_Bang!_

A gunshot rang in the venue making everybody freeze and look in horror at a man that crumpled in the reporters section. Panic descended on the venue, the teachers herded the students back into the castle while the reporters around the killed man stood stunned; some were very unfortunate to be on the receiving end of blood splattering on them when Reborn blew up the man's head. Some with weak stomachs threw up on the side while some women were in hysterics. The crowd that was allowed to witness the conference ran away in fear leaving a couple of people in the venue.

Draco, realizing Reborn wouldn’t shoot someone just like that, approached the body and searched it. “It’s a rogue Death Eater.” His voice was very loud in the now silent place.

“Call for the Aurors Headmistress McGonagall.” Reborn commanded and the woman nodded sending a Patronus to the Ministry. He had already noticed the man was very suspicious. He would stare at Iolanthe with madness in his eyes and more than once his hand moved towards his waist where his wand was. Taking advantage of the mess that had become the press conference, he surreptitiously took out his wand and pointed it at his Wife. Well, not on Reborn’s watch. Nobody would dare to harm her. “Now, I think I said this press conference is over. Come, Iolanthe.”

“Wait a minute!” The same woman who had been harping the whole conference spoke once again. “What is the meaning of this, Lady Potter? You not only married a kid but this kid is also a murderer?! Explain this!”

Iolanthe sighed, tired. “I should have let Voldemort win the war. It would have saved me from stupid people.” She lamented in a low voice but with the Sonorus still in place everybody could hear her. Reborn almost laughed at her words but managed to keep his poise.

“I am the reason why Iolanthe has been going around the world learning different types of Magick,” Reborn swiftly lied surprising Iolanthe and the crowd. “I am cursed to use this form and have been looking for someone to revert my state, that’s how I met my Wife, the rest you can imagine it.”

“How romantic.” Parvati sighed, her mind easily providing her with all sort of romantic scenarios so she could very well guess what happened between them.

“So, I was very angry knowing there was a group of people raising speculations of her actions without knowing the truth; I felt guilty and I don’t like feeling guilty.” The murderous voice didn’t match the tender, smiling face making the reporters pale at the well-covered threat. They had seen how Lord Potter had blown up the head of a person without much effort, who could assure them if they weren’t going to end up like that Death Eater?

The ones who had written about Iolanthe Potter instantly regretted and shrank in their places hoping Lord Potter’s rage wouldn’t fall upon them. Nobody had the guts to say anything when the couple walked away together with Draco Malfoy into the castle and just like that the press conference ended.

None of the usual reporters were brave enough to write about what happened during the event so it was once again Parvati Patil’s article that featured the first page in The Prophet, together with another article recounting her wild fictitious love story between Lord and Lady Potter, as well as the column that praised Iolanthe’s choice in clothes, her beautiful hair pinned up with an equally beautiful headpiece and the smart suit in Lord Potter’s small body. It was a good day for the intern.

It’s just that, her and all the other reporters despaired when they noticed they forgot to take a picture of Lord Potter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow you get a chapter too because it's Monday and update day but from tomorrow onwards the regular schedule of two chapters a week will return until my next vacation Q.Q
> 
> It's 10am here where I live, so expect a surprise by night my time xD so, in about twelve hours.


	19. The Peverells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Black courtship gift comes the Peverell gift and Iolanthe talks with Snape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who thought that Iolanthe was going to be an idle housewife raising her kids, here is why you were wrong. xD
> 
> I definitely couldn't make Iolanthe sit still, grow old and wait for death. This time her enemy is a bit bigger and more stubborn...
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!

* * *

Footsteps resounded in the vast and almost empty halls of Hogwarts. The Magic around hummed contented by the presence of the visitors as if it remembered them during their school days. Always fighting in its hallways. Always sending each other sneers during meals or classes. But this time, Hogwarts was content seeing them both as friends so she let them know by making their way to the Headmistress’ office easier.

The stairs didn’t randomly move and the false steps never appeared. The resident Poltergeist didn’t show its face either even when they could hear the yelling from students who had fallen victim to its pranks a few hallways away from them.

“Where are you going, Iolanthe?” Asked Draco seeing her walking with purpose.

Iolanthe glanced pointedly at her friend, “Didn’t you want me to go to the Headmistress’ office?” to then looked at Reborn who had comfortably perched on her shoulder.

“You knew?” The Sun Arcobaleno asked. Her eyes when she looked at him were very telling, she wasn’t impressed nor happy about the matter.

“Of course I knew.” She scoffed and then glared at both men who looked away in fear. Though in his mind, Reborn cursed her ability to read minds. “No, I didn’t read your mind about it.” Reborn’s heart jumped at her words. If she didn’t read his mind… “I read your mind just know, but about this matter of me talking to Snape, next time don’t let Sirius know about it. The man can only keep secrets if it involves death; otherwise, he is the worst gossip on Earth.”

Well, that answered Reborn and Draco’s question about how she discovered their plans. Reborn thought it was a shame that it didn’t stay that much of a surprise. Granted, he had been giving her too many things lately so she must have been a bit suspicious about it, after all he never told her that he wanted to court her… Reborn’s heart flipped.

“Iolanthe…” He cautiously called but noticing her blushing face, he already got his answer. She knew but refused to say anything about it. He sighed. He guessed it wasn’t fair to let her keep waiting. “We’ll talk back home.” He finally said. She just nodded.

To be fair, the courting thing she truly got it from her Husband’s mind.

She found it curious that Reborn had been lately giving her gifts like jewelry, clothes, bath salts and many other things so she flippantly commented about it with Sirius one afternoon. The man readily provided her with the information that her Husband was planning other big things for her in the future and then accidently heard Sirius’ sulking about making her meet Severus Snape. She was taken aback by the news so instead of confronting Reborn about it, she simply sneaked a peek at his thoughts and realized everything was about courting her.

Wild thoughts began to appear in her mind and that is how she even missed the strange behavior in Reborn and Draco whenever the Newspaper arrived. Today, she could finally piece all the clues together and though at first she was mad at them, she then understood all this secrecy was because she would have effusively rejected her participation if they told her about this conference, so she let it go. Deep down, she was pleased that all the gifts and things Reborn was giving and doing for her was because he was courting her. That made her really happy.

She had admitted a long time ago that she was attracted to her Husband even with his tiny body. It was the personality, the way he talked, his humor, the way he makes her feel more feminine and cared for. She thought it was good that they first had the chance to know each other a bit before going on their task to create a baby; as she was sure, with her smoking hot Husband, everything would have turn out sexual.

She wouldn’t have minded if it was before; when she only wanted to use a man to have many kids even if the guy didn’t actually liked her. She was fine if they at least got along. It would have been the same with the type of Contract between Reborn and her had, but the vow and the fact that he was under a curse lead to the situation they were now in; getting to know each other, living under the same roof and slowly falling in love… Iolanthe felt her cheeks flush hot and stopped her thoughts.

They had already arrived in front of the gargoyle that would take them to the Headmistress office. She took a deep breath, then shared a look with both Draco and Reborn and looking straight at the gargoyle she stated her business.

“We are here to meet with Headmistress McGonagall. I believe she is expecting us.” Not even a second after she finished talking, the statue moved aside to show the spiral staircase which they climbed up.

Iolanthe didn’t even have to knock on the door since it opened the moment they were in front. The office that received them was the same circular room, the same furniture, the same portraits plus an addition, the same shelves that Iolanthe remembered from the last time she was there. The noises from the silver instruments were absent together with the artifacts; instead more books covered the tables and the desk. The witch sitting behind it looked a bit older but somewhat happier than before.

It seemed McGonagall wasn’t doing so bad, Iolanthe thought.

…

Headmistress McGonagall watched the group that entered her office. It was certainly one of the weirdest trio she had seen but she was not that surprised that Iolanthe Potter was part of it. Somehow, the lass would always end up in some weird occurrences even if she did not mean to be part of them. Minerva McGonagall had enough of her adventures back when she was still attending Hogwarts together with Miss Granger and Mister Weasley.

The old Scottish woman still felt guilty for pushing Iolanthe to the forefront of a war and many times she wanted to wrap the Potter Heir up and hide her from everything but she knew that doing that would have hindered Iolanthe’s development, she wouldn’t have grown to realize that the Magical World was not all pretty colors and fanciful spells, it was so much more. A war was not necessary yet there were things that couldn’t really be helped.

Both Mr. Malfoy and Miss Potter had to suffer in different ways during those trying times. The woman was not naïve enough to believe that the opposition was composed from truly loyal followers. She had seen the unwillingness and fear in many Slytherins fighting for the Dark and it was sad to acknowledge that no matter what, at the end of it all, they only had two options: death or prison. The young man in front of her was the rare case where he got neither.

At first, she was skeptical about Iolanthe’s reasons, though after today’s interview, that doubt was cleared and was totally amazed by the decisiveness of Iolanthe and the resilience to withstand all the vitriol thrown at her. Truly a remarkable young lady.

“Mister Malfoy, a pleasant surprise seeing you here.” The Headmistress first greeted. The young man looked good. There was no aura of doom and resignation around him; he seemed freer and happier.

“Headmistress. It’s nice to see you are well.” His manners improved a lot and there was no arrogance in his tone now. The setbacks Draco Malfoy faced were for the best.

“Miss Potter… oh, sorry I should call you Lady Potter now.” The Headmistress teased her ex-Gryffindor earning a blush from the young witch. “I must say I am very proud with what you did down there, though the brashness was unneeded.” The old woman jokingly scolded.

“What can I say Headmistress, I am a Gryffindor to the very bones.” Iolanthe cheekily replied startling a laugh from McGonagall. The old witch calmed and her eyes fell on the man who stood up for Iolanthe. At first, she also doubted like those reporters thinking him only a lost child but hearing the story of how the both of them met, she was reassured and happy for them. It is in this serendipitously encounters that we find precious people.

The Headmistress coughed, gathering her thoughts, then she went to the point. “I know why you are here. Lord Potter kindly requested some time for you to speak with Severus.” She nodded towards the portrait that was empty. “I can only say good luck, my child.” And so, she stood up and invited Draco for a walk around the school and show him around as if he hadn’t studied there for seven years.

The door closed with a click leaving the room in silence.

Reborn looked around the place and paid no attention to his very nervous Wife who avoided looking at the last empty portrait and called for one of those house-elves to bring them tea and snacks. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about the situation but was well aware that he couldn’t meddle in this conversation unless Iolanthe herself brought him into it. That is why he patiently waited for her to calm down and speak. He also couldn’t help but wonder how does this Severus Snape look like? Everything pointed at the man being like a bat or a greasy git (thanks to Iolanthe’s not helpful description).

The house-elf returned with the tea and an assortment of cookies that both didn’t wait to begin their ritual in preparing a cup. Reborn very much so preferred coffee but he guessed tea would do to show support to the now calm Iolanthe. He reckoned the conversation would begin any time soon. In the meantime, his eyes caught the image of an old man sleeping in the frame next to the empty one. If he wasn’t mistaken, that old man must be Albus Dumbledore.

The Hitman thought he would be filled with blind hot rage for everything the old man had done to the woman by his side yet he surprisingly found himself filled with nothing. He analyzed the reason and came to the conclusion that it was Iolanthe’s fault with everything she told him about them.

He was very aware that neither Albus Dumbledore nor Severus Snape were exemplary men in his Wife’s life. One was manipulating her to be a puppet ready for sacrifice and the other was busy hating a child for something she wasn’t at fault. Albus Dumbledore would very much send a teenager to die just to prevent the adults from suffering in a war they created, while Severus Snape would kill everybody and their sister just to selfishly keep one person beside him even if that person wasn’t willing. Both were hateful men that saw a child as a mere pawn in their sick war game.

Yet what he discovered even if he didn’t want to admit it was that Albus Dumbledore was pretty much like a Mafia Boss. Putting aside the fact he was never reliable regarding information, he knew what to do for the sake of most of his people surviving at the cost of a selected few. It was a very cunning, sly and cruel method that every Mafia Boss used because a Boss would rather have a couple of people in his/her Famiglia die instead of all of them. The fact that the people who died did so very willingly was even scarier but that was grooming, a very well done grooming that Reborn had grown seeing and acknowledging.

He just didn’t like the fact it was practiced on his Wife. Anything that belonged to him was not allowed to be groomed by anyone but himself. Uh, that didn’t sound well, anyway the thing was that he would make his Wife forget everything about being groomed now that she was his.

Instead, Severus Snape, for all the he proclaimed to be very Slytherin, he was a very emotional man, very much like a Gryffindor… or a Hufflepuff (Yes, Reborn learned about the Houses from dear Iolanthe). Reborn supposed it had everything to do with his love towards one Lily Potter and his hatred to James Potter that he decided to take revenge on an oblivious girl who knew nothing about her parents. The man couldn’t see beyond the ghosts of his past and was very comfortable taking pleasure in bullying children just like how he was bullied. That mentality wasn’t very cunning, it was foolish.

Objectively, his point of grace was the fact that he did his best to protect Iolanthe. Or at least be reliable with hidden tasks and give vital information. It was too bad he was blinded by hatred to the Potter name and instead of understanding, he was looked as a untrustworthy fellow. He brought it all on himself so for all intent and purposes, he should be grateful that someone was willing to give him a chance to be redeemed and not live in the shameful shadow of being a greasy bastard who terrorized kids.

“Requesting your presence, Headmaster Snape.” Iolanthe said taking Reborn out of his musings. Her tone was very neutral, without any inflection or emotion making Reborn inwardly nod in approval. Iolanthe needed to be clear-headed for this.

The portrait remained unmoved for a moment until a very unfortunate (visually speaking) man appeared in all his dark, broody and gloomy glory. Reborn now knew why he was called a greasy git, not even the paint used on the portrait was able to remove that sheen of oil in the man’s hair and sallow face. Reborn guessed the one who made Snape’s portrait didn’t like him very much to keep that particular trait of the ex-Potions professor.

“Of all people, Potter.” Oh, he was dripping condescension in his drawl. He really called to be bashed and beaten to death. No wonder nobody liked him. Reborn glanced at his Wife and noted the minor twitch in her eye. He only hoped that at the end of all this, nobody ended dead. Most likely it would be him seeing as he was the culprit behind this disastrous meeting. Reborn decided to silently drink his tea and try his best to remain unnoticeable.

 

…

 

Iolanthe wasn’t surprised hearing Snape’s tone, the bastard. She just had forgotten just how hateful that drawl that practically declared you as the most stupid person in the world was. She very much wanted to blow apart that portrait and be done with all this circus but she wanted to give this meeting a chance. It was specially created by her Husband and she wasn’t an ass to throw everything out the window, oh she vowed to get revenge for this but for now she was going to behave for the sake of the courtship.

“To what do I owe the displeasure of seeing you here?” If only Snape made the effort to make himself a bit likeable, she wouldn’t complain. Though it seemed that would kill his already dead self.

“I was forced by someone to make peace with you.” At least she was glad she could now render the git speechless with her comebacks. She hid her smile behind the rim of her cup. Yet no matter how delighted she was, it was not the time for seeking petty revenge or Mother Magic would make Reborn suffer for his failed courtship. “It is Peverell Tradition.” She tried to explain.

All she got was a raised eyebrow from the man signaling he was not interested in anything she was saying. She secretly huffed.

“The Peverells were known as Necromancers,” she patiently explained while filling her cup with more tea. She kind of missed the one the House-elves from Hogwarts made, maybe she should ask Headmistress McGonagall to sell her one.

“Necromancy, Potter?” Snape’s expression was 1% disbelief and the other 99% mocking. Of course, who would believe the child of Light go Dark and practice Necromancy.

“Yes, Snape, Necromancy. If you believe I’m secretly making an army of Inferi, then you are wrong; that is not Necromancy. I thought you would be aware of what that branch of magic entails.”

“Referred to more commonly as sorcery or black magic, necromancy derives from the Greek words  _nekros_ , meaning “dead” and  _manteia_ , meaning “divination.” It is the mystical process of bringing the dead to life with the intent of learning their secrets - a way to read the future, discover the unknown, or just exploit the wisdom of the grave.” Drawl Snape in his teaching voice. “That is the more neutral description of Necromancy the Ministry has.”

Iolanthe scoffed, “The Ministry is a bunch of cowards who don’t know which side is right and which side is left!”

“Problems with your fame, Potter?” Snape sneered.

“I always had problems with my fame, Sir. Why do I need fame and money when I have no family?” Iolanthe snarked back giving Snape a very pointed look which succeeded in silencing the gloomy man. Ha! Touché, Snape! She knew the man blamed himself for the death of her parents, more so of the death of sweet Lily Potter and she had no qualms in rubbing salt to the wound. Who told him to be an attention-seeker bastard when young just to prove he was worth something?

The tensed silence was broken by a very loud snore from one of the “sleeping” Headmasters. Portrait Snape silently considered the young woman sat in front of him. She looked very much like a Potter yet he still could see some traces of Lily, not only in her eyes but also the way she gripped the teacup and how she lowered her guard when she thought she was safe. It was surprising to him to see Lily’s mannerisms in someone who knew nothing about her and his heart filled with sourness.

Then his eyes found the child sitting beside her eating the snacks and not caring that the woman was snarking with a portrait. Portrait Snape may be only a figment of the original but he was sure the child was no ordinary child. He still had the tact to not mention anything. Though he was still uncomfortable knowing Iolanthe Potter took the bother to try make peace with him; he was sure the girl would hate him until the end of the world and he had made sure it was that way.

What really was the reason for this Peverell Tradition?

“Necromancy, the art to communicate with people beyond the grave.” Portrait Snape said to bring back the previous topic and as a way to reach an olive branch, gnarled as his heart but a branch nonetheless. “There are many ways, safer ways, to reach the dead without creating an Inferius. The most common way to do it is to summon the spirit of the deceased. For what reason? I have no idea. There is also through a medium, though that has the risk to be possessed. Little is known about Necromancers and their art, the Purebloods barely acknowledge the Peverells as practitioners as it is.”

“Necromancer are the servants of Death.” Iolanthe said. That brought forth another bout of silence in the room. “I’m sure you are aware of the Tale of the Three Brothers.” Portrait Snape sharply nodded. “The three Peverell brothers became the first Necromancers. Death gave them the opportunity to be the first servants. The tale says they cheated Death so the were rewarded to then die due to their own greed. That is half the truth. The truth is Death presented before them for a task.”

“A task?”

Iolanthe’s smile unnerved Portrait Snape but the scholar deep within him wanted to know. “Mother Magic was not happy with how the non-magicals were treating those She blessed with her gift, as well, She was not happy with how her blessed children succumbed to fear and depraved her gift. She asked Death for a way to prevent her children from fearing their own gift and embrace it totally. Death found these three brothers and gave them the task to teach Wizards and Witches the force of Magic, through the Wand, the will of Magic, through the Stone and the protectiveness of Magic through the Cloak.”

“They failed.” Portrait Snape stated. He was sure Iolanthe wasn’t lying. For the many times he called her a liar, he was sure that she never lied. Legilimency was very useful.

“They failed.” Iolanthe confirmed. As of now she knew she had the attention of all the portraits in the room even if they pretended to be sleeping. “The task required for people to have strong resilience and an unbreakable will. The first brother was overtaken by the power of the Wand and began to boast about its immense might resulting in his death. The second brother was selfish and kept the Stone for himself, he used it for his own means which also resulted in his death. The third brother, knowing of his brothers’ deaths, was overcome with fear and hid himself under the Cloak until it was his time to die. None of the three were able to fulfill their own tasks but Death didn’t give up and waited for someone in the Peverell line to be able to fulfill what Mother Magic entrusted.”

Iolanthe lowered her teacup on the saucer and the soft clink was very loud in the silent room. She learned all this from Death itself after she gained ownership of all the Hallows. Sincerely, she was a bit tired that all the heavy burdens were forced upon her but thankfully Death gave her the choice to do it or not. As the only Peverell in her generation, she had the prerequisites for the task but if she was able to have kids then she would not be the only one.

Technically, she didn’t have to do the task alone, she just had all the qualities needed to complete the task. She wasn’t overwhelmed by the power of Magic, she had the will to see Magic as it was and she didn’t doubt to use Magic to protect those she considered dear even at the cost of her own life, she didn’t fear and was more than willing to learn everything about Magic. If she was able to teach at least one quality to one of her kids then she would have someone else to share the burden.

At first, she wasn’t that enthused to force something so big to a child of hers but she saw the importance in teaching that Magic was nothing to be feared, that it was a limitless gift and that it was necessary to protect what is very precious to us. She unknowingly looked at the man sitting beside her and her heart thudded. It was a sweet pang that contained many emotions and she couldn’t wait to begin her own family with him. If by any reason her kids weren’t qualified for this task, then she wouldn’t mind taking it for herself.

“Are you going to tell me that you are now the one entrusted with the task?” Portrait Snape’s mocking tone took her out of her thoughts and her eyes locked with the dark ones of her ex-Potions teacher.

She truly understood where the man came from and why he did the things he did, she just couldn’t comprehend the methods he used; it was as if he was still that fearful teenager that hid his insecurities behind barbed words and venomous looks and not the man who needed to guide and give confidence.

“There is no good or evil…” Iolanthe whispered but in the quiet room, her voice was crystal clear. Portrait Snape was shaken by those words and he couldn’t stop finishing the phrase.

“…just power and those too weak to seek it.” There was a turmoil of emotions in his dark eyes but he was able to suppress them and fiercely glared at her. “What is the meaning of this, Potter?”

“Tom Riddle was a Peverell. The Peverell blood in him subconsciously brought him closer to the task in the bloodline. He had the power and the mind to fulfill it. Sadly, he was fearful and he deviated from his path. Honestly, the man could have brought a change to the stagnated Wizarding World; he had the ideas, the vision, the drive to do so much for this community. People believed in his words, he possessed enough charisma to even become the Minister of Magic! He just needed that little push!”

“Enough, Potter, you sound like a fanatic of the Dark Lord!” Portrait Snape sharply reprimanded, he couldn’t believe those words were coming out from her mouth. It was as if… as if… “Since when do you support the Dark Lord’s ideas?” He quietly asked. The sallow man honestly dreaded the answer.

“Since the very beginning.” Iolanthe’s words were like a punch in everybody’s gut; quite a few portraits gasped and started whispering between each other.

“My child…” Albus Dumbledore whispered and looked at Iolanthe with a very complicated gaze.

“Don’t ‘my child’ me, Professor, you knew. From the countless times you used Legilimency on me, it was impossible you didn’t know. And you also know what I thought about you and him during my Sixth year, you know what you should have done instead of what you did. The only reason I followed your plans was because despite everything I trusted you and because the methods Tom Riddle used were too radical and yours too soft. You know that this Community is on the verge of collapse but you still believe that people will see sense on their own. They will not! Because they will happily ignore the issue until it explodes in their faces!”

Iolanthe huffed and drained her teacup ignoring how Portrait Dumbledore sighed and went back to ‘sleep’. She never thought the conversation would deviate so much but to be fair she didn’t know how the conversation was supposed to go. At least they weren’t insulting each other, throwing dirty water or simply cursing.

“Explain, Potter, calmly.” Iolanthe was a bit startled hearing the neutral tone in Snape’s voice and noticed that for the first time he was willing to listen to her. That made her erratic thoughts come to a halt and seriously consider the topic on hand.

“Magic is not the same. Before, people were unconcerned on experimenting with it, that’s why many new things surfaced, many spells, many potions, new runes, you choose. Now people doesn’t dare because they fear the power they wield.” In her palm a little flower suddenly bloomed. Portrait Snape watched with sorrowful eyes; Lily once did that. His sorrow turned to shock when the flower turned into a Fairy which fluttered around her hand. According to Magic laws it was impossible to create life out of nowhere. “They encase themselves in laws and what it can’t be done that they don’t stop to think that Magic is much more.”

The Fairy suddenly caught fire and the little flame flew up and exploded like a mini firework to then turn into bubbles to finally turn into a cookie that Iolanthe fed to Reborn.

“How can you do that?” Portrait Snape asked a bit perturbed.

“There are no laws when it comes to Magic,” Iolanthe mildly replied cleaning the crumbles from her Husband’s mouth. “When you start learning every branch of Magic you suddenly begin thinking that there is no impossible when it comes to our gift. We just need to expand our vision, get out of those suffocating views and beliefs.”

“If you are so knowledgeable, why weren’t you able to make one potion correctly?” Portrait Snape mutinously grumbled. That startled a laugh out of Iolanthe.

“You need to ask? See how you do when someone is looking at you as if you were some incurable disease and allows sabotage in their class.” Iolanthe snarked playfully. Portrait Snape didn’t have the decency to look ashamed and just lifted an eyebrow. “Right, I guess that is too much to ask of the Dungeon Bat.”

“Name-calling, Potter?” Portrait Snape derided.

“Yes, yes, I am arrogant like my Father the pig, I deserve eighteen levels of Hell, no wonder nobody loves me, my friends are trash…”

“Potter.” The man warned. Iolanthe pouted. “So, why did you really come here? Surely not to lecture us about Magic, how you are a revolutionary like the Dark Lord, to put Dumbledore in his place and surely not to admit your faults.”

Iolanthe decided to ignore that last jab and mulled about what to say. Her gaze travelled across the room to stop at the fireplace. The fire crackled and she lost herself in it for a moment. When it came to the real reason she was there, there were many ways she could say it but all of them didn’t set right with her. Planning what to say or do was never her forte so improvising would do.

“I saw you die,” she began with a heavy voice. Portrait Snape pursed his lips. “Nagini struck you several times and then you were left there, bleeding. Before you died, you said, ‘You have your Mother’s eyes’. At that time I didn’t understand; I thought I needed to understand in order to forgive you but I discovered there was nothing to forgive. You indirectly killed my parents, the woman you loved and that was enough punishment for you. The sole fact that my eyes reminded you of my Mother was enough to let you remember what you did. So there was no need for me to do anything against you as you were already drowning in your own sorrow and guilt.”

“All those years, I fiercely resented you for not seeing past the ghosts of my parents in me; I was more than James Potter’s daughter and having the eyes of Lily Potter. You, Sirius and Remus couldn’t really see Iolanthe Potter, the orphan, the child who didn’t know about her parents but everybody believed I was just like them. I thought it was unfair but then I thought it was pitiful. You were quite pitiful, never moving on, never making peace with your own past and dwelling too much in what you didn’t have instead of what you had. I lost it all, just like you yet I resolved myself to never be like you because even when I lost a lot, I gained a lot more.”

Iolanthe’s gaze settled on the little body of her Husband who was looking at her with unfathomable eyes to then smile and nod at her words. She sighed and for a moment she felt even more determined than before, her resolve strengthened and her confidence rose.

“Thank you, Snape, for teaching me that. Come, Husband mine, it’s time to go.” She sweetly smiled reaching a hand to Reborn who readily took it. She paused and turned to look at Portrait Snape. “Draco is aiming to become a Potions Master, you know what that means.” And then both disappeared from the office in a crack, Disapparating. Her action made the office descend into a mess. Protests and words of disbelief resounded for a good while to then regain its calm when the Headmasters and Headmistresses silently thought how Iolanthe did it.

Portrait Snape thought of her last words. It seemed Draco decided to also take the mantle of the Prince line. His thrice damned Grandfather left in his will that only someone from the Prince line, Pureblooded and with a Mastery in Potions was eligible to be the Head. The old man was playing with Severus since he was a Halfblood. So, to enrage the man in his grave, Severus chose Draco. As his Godson, but more importantly recognized as his son by Mother Magic, he was eligible to succeed the man.

The irony was, the late Lord Prince hated the Malfoys for harshly declining a betrothal between his mother, Eileen, and Abraxas Malfoy thinking her close to a squib and not pretty enough to Malfoy standards. Now, a Malfoy would become Lord Prince as soon as Draco became a Potions Master; he had left that stipulated with the goblins in Gringotts in his last will. The joke was on Lord Prince, so Severus laughed at the end of it all.

“Cough, I think Iolanthe’s husband is a little too small.” Portrait Dumbledore voiced all of a sudden.

Portrait Snape heavily scowled, “The man is cursed, you old fool!”

“Now now, Severus, no need to be so rude while defending Iolanthe.” The old Headmaster’s glasses glinted while giving a pointed look. Portrait Snape scoffed and looked at the seat where Iolanthe was. He mumbled a soft ‘Good luck, Potter’ then left.

Portrait Dumbledore smiled meaningfully to then sigh. Iolanthe has grown so much. He regretted so many things and the way Iolanthe grew up was one of them but seeing that Iolanthe could still be mature enough to try to comprehend the why of their actions showed that she was on the way of finally being herself and for that he was very happy and hoped it would continue that way with the help of those around her.

He was aware that Iolanthe disliked his decisions as well as what she thought of the World she lived in. He was just grateful that for once he didn’t fail in guiding the leader this Community severely needed. Everything else rested in her hands. Contented, Portrait Dumbledore closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a reason why my fic is not tagged as bashing... 
> 
> Iolanthe may have distanced herself from Hermione and Ron and the Weasleys but that doesn't mean that she hates them or anything. The why they have distanced will be mentioned next chapter and they may or may not become friends again in the future, I still haven't decided.
> 
> I know some dislike Hermione and Ron, as well as there are others who hate Dumbledore and Snape, but I just see them as what they are, people. And people make mistakes and do horrible things to others but I also believe that each person carries their own hell and suffer for it. 
> 
> We can see it when Dumbledore for all that he preached for the Greater Good and was seen as a good leader, he had no family left and he was even carrying the sin of not knowing if he truly killed his own sister. 
> 
> I'd like to think if canon Harry ever talked with Snape again then the words he told him were the same as Iolanthe's, not the Peverell thing but that in which Snape faced his own sin by comparing Harry's eyes to Lily's, the woman he indirectly killed. 
> 
> So no, the point here is not to hate everybody and their dog and also not to give excuses but to see that there are always ways people pay for what they've done. Or at least that is my opinion. :D


	20. Harmonization...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short altercation between Draco and Ron.  
> Reborn learned to used the Wards in Grimmauld place through a flashback in which he also discovered something important regarding his Flames.   
> Iolanthe gets prepared for her revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so, this is 1 out of 2 chapters that contain a flashback and after this I promised myself never to do it again because even I got confused with the timeline xD 
> 
> The chapter is segmented with ... so you won't get that lost. The flashback is on the third segment. 
> 
> -chapter begins on Oct 5th after the press conference.  
> -flashback is around Sept 30th, about a week after the Mabon ritual and the fight between Iolanthe and Reborn. We see what happens after Reborn returns to the house.  
> -we go back to Oct 5th
> 
> It's easy! XD Well, I feel the chapter itself is confusing but there was no other place in which I could put that flashback, believe me, I tried. Because through these flashbacks there are revelations to further develop the relationship between Iolanthe and Reborn.
> 
> Important/Warning: During the flashback we see a very ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) scene. Please don't forget that Iolanthe can see Reborn's original form blurred as it is! Even the chapter emphazises the fact.   
> So don't complain about my scene if you feel disturbed about it; in any case you can skip it if you want to.... maybe I will change the rating xD I just hope you enjoy the chapter :) 
> 
> And thanks everybody, for the support. I really enjoy your comments :3

* * *

Draco successfully ditched Headmistress McGonagall when she had to attend to one of the many mischiefs that Poltergeist had done in the hallway they were walking down. He had the mind to go to the Dungeons but immediately stopped in his track; it wasn’t because he had no courage, he just realized he didn’t know anyone there to guarantee a visit. He mocked his past self for not gaining enough allies… or friends. In retrospect, there was no time for him to go meeting new people when he didn’t even know if he was going to live, so he threw aside his thoughts of self-pity.

Instead, he wandered around the castle which he knew from his seven years of being a student yet he found it was unfamiliar to him. The sole fact that war could break out in this place made it lose all that feeling of safety. Of course, he knew that after the battle, the wards were reinforced and improved but he still couldn’t feel safe in its wide hallways, magnificent halls, and breathtaking view. As he looked at the vast Forest, his eyes travelled to the monument erected by the lake and suddenly felt the urge to go look at it.

With the thought in mind, his feet steadily and surely brought him in front of the huge slate filled with names he knew, barely recognized or were unknown to him. He noticed that none of the children who were sons or daughters of Death Eaters and had died in that battle were included in the list. He felt a pang of sourness in his heart; if he had died in that battle, his name wouldn’t even be there. He thought back to that reporter who stupidly inferred his name would be carved here making him sneer; those people weren’t even aware of who had been nobly sacrificed in that battle and they dared to flap their mouths.

Draco sighed. With a flick of his wrist a lone white rose appeared in his hand and he gently placed it at the feet of the monument. He didn’t ask for forgiveness to those people he knew, he just hoped that their souls were resting. Something he had learned from Iolanthe was that our past makes us who we are but it is the future that was what we have to live for. With one last goodbye to the people resting here, he prepared himself to leave and wait for Iolanthe in Grimmauld.

That was until he saw the insufferable face of the Weasel furiously walking towards him. Draco sighed again and prepared himself for what was to come.

“What are you doing here, Malfoy?” Ronald Weasley spat the moment he made it in front of the blonde.

Draco artily raised his eyebrow at the tone. He had seen both him and Granger in the crowd with the students together with Longbottom hearing everything that was said in the conference. Longbottom worked at Hogwarts so it was not surprising to find him here, but Weasley and Granger… Draco guessed they were there to support Iolanthe. He didn’t know where they had run off to and it was his bad luck to find them instead of Iolanthe. Sigh, he felt too old for this.

“I didn’t know Hogwarts now belonged to you, Weasley. Allow me to be surprised.” Draco drawled.

Weasley’s face turned red with rage, “You have no right to be here, you Death Eater scum!”

“Ronald!” Granger admonished him scandalized though Draco was sure she only scolded Weasley for the insult of being Death Eater scum, not about the rest. After all, not everyone was a saint like Iolanthe or special like Lovegood and forgive him for his past.

“What, Hermione? You know I’m right. That Iolanthe saved him and his filthy family from rotting in Azkaban where he deserves to be, doesn’t mean he stops being Death Eater scum.”

If it was the Draco from before, he would have already being drowning Weasley in spit responding insult with insult but now, he just looked mildly amused at the redhead clowning away as if he could dictate what the Heir of the Malfoy Family could do. True, now the Malfoy name didn’t have the prestige and influence it once boasted but that still gave no one permission to insult him in his face.

“Are you done, Weasley? If so, give way, I have no time to argue with the likes of you.” Draco haughtily said with his chin raised sniffing in the couple’s direction as if they were dirt on his shoes and intended to walk away.

“You stop right there!” Draco didn’t need to be a genius to know this would escalate to a fight from the moment the both of them appeared, so he swiftly pulled out his wand and pointed it at Weasley who was already pointing his at him.

“Stop it, Ron!” Granger hissed. Of course, Draco’s eyes caught the wand in her hand. Draco inwardly sneered, _bunch of hypocrites!_

The face off extended for a couple of seconds, the air filling with Magic ready to do the bid of anyone who casted the first spell the moment the other got distracted until a _crack_ made them flinch and both simultaneously fired their own spells.

“Expulso!”

“Protego!”

The shield barely formed in front of Draco when the jet of light was dispelled by it. Draco thanked Iolanthe in his mind who repeatedly reminded him to first create a shield so he could counterattack, well she actually beat that to him, painfully. He also learned that the easiest spell to cast after Protego was a Desmaius which could easily take down his opponent. As cunning as he was, the second spell would have been nonverbal so Weasley would have gotten a spell on his face the next second if it wasn’t for the voice that roared at them.

“What do you think you are you doing?!”

Draco once learned from his Mother that there were only two women he had to obey in his life, his Mother, her, and his Wife, that would be Astoria; unconsciously, Draco also learned that he also had to obey Iolanthe if not bad things would happen to you. So, after hearing her voice, he quickly put down his wand putting his best innocent face while keeping his dignity.

“I go away for a moment and you are already fighting like kids?”

“That’s not…” Granger tried to explain but Draco knew that once Iolanthe was like that, very emotional, she would unleash her silver tongue on you.

“And you, Hermione. I thought you would know better than to encourage such a fight! On Hogwarts grounds and in front of a resting place no less!” Granger had the decency to look ashamed of how she managed the situation, though Weasley still look mutinous and wanted to retort. Sadly, Iolanthe didn’t let him. “Not a word, Ron! I am greatly disappointed at your behavior. I have no right to be scolding you but at least have the decency to go fight somewhere else! Now come Draco, we have to go.”

She instantly grabbed Draco’s arm and they all Disapparated leaving a gaping Ron and Hermione standing there.

“Well, you have to admit that Iolanthe was always this intense.” Neville’s voice sounded behind the couple making them turn and see the new Herbology Professor smiling amused at their scolded faces. “Come, the Headmistress asked me to escort you out.”

“Neville.”

“Yes, Hermione?”

“I’m sorry, we created trouble.”

Neville chuckled at her words. When did they ever not create trouble? “You did.” He confirmed. “But the one you should be saying sorry is not me but Malfoy.”

“What?! Are you on that git’s side too?” Ron asked indignant.

“I’m on nobody’s side, Ron. You have to grow past that enmity you have with him. Malfoy is not the same person we knew back at our school days. If you haven’t noticed, after the war everybody changed. Iolanthe and Malfoy are the ones who changed drastically. She finally can have the freedom she always wanted and Malfoy has learned many things while staying with her. At least give him the chance.” Neville said with conviction.

Yet more than anything, he believed that their problem laid with the fact that neither Ron nor Hermione could accept Iolanthe was not the same person who allowed everybody to tell her what to do and that’s why their friendship crumbled.

Although he had been jealous of the friendship the three had sported back when they were students, he also learned that he had friends, too. He just hadn’t noticed that for all that Iolanthe barely spoke with him, she never looked down on him, or talked to him in a condescending way, she just looked at him like any other peer and it was more obvious during war. That gave Neville the courage to stand up for himself and fight back. Neville believed that anybody who spent time with Iolanthe would never be a bad person, so he decided to give Malfoy a chance.

He just hoped Ron and Hermione did the same.

 

…

 

The trio Apparated in the Sunroom in Grimmauld Place. Before Reborn and Draco got their bearings due to the abrupt travelling, Iolanthe was already storming out of the room. Seeing her leave, Reborn was ready to follow her, he wanted to ask a few questions regarding the conversation she had with Severus Snape. The Hitman was more than used to discovering something new about his Wife, though it was a bit irritating that he had to almost pull out that information from her.

Yet before he could arrive to the door, Draco’s voice stopped him.

“Wait, don’t follow her.” The Malfoy Heir heavily but still gracefully sat on one of the armchairs.

“Why?” Reborn glanced at the door where Iolanthe walked out from and then at Draco who looked a bit unsettled.

“Her Magic is unstable at the moment. If you get close, you might unintentionally get hurt then you will make Iolanthe blame herself, she will enter a period of self-recrimination, you will get annoyed, you will fight…”

“I get it.” Reborn cut the blond off. Yes, he was not a stranger to that cycle. There were many times when he had to console the Witch after a fight; he was aware she was doing it on purpose, acting pitiful so he would forgive her and it always worked. He guessed it was not that bad considering that she did put an effort to change even if it was a slow process. If it was Reborn, he wouldn’t even bother so he commended her for the effort.

“Right, just use the Wards to locate her and act accordingly.” Draco reminded Reborn and then walked out of the room.

Reborn felt like slapping himself. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten about the Wards! He excused his blunder with the fact that it was still strange for him to use Wards to locate someone even if it had been some time since he was included in them. As Lord Black he needed to be included in the Wards of all the houses the Blacks possessed but for the time being, Grimmauld Place was the only one.

He still marveled at the usefulness of it and clearly remembered how it all happened. Even until now, he still sported a smug yet complicated smile.

 

…

 

It was that day when he returned after the big fight that forced him to live elsewhere.

Having promised to come back to sleep in the bedroom after her research and taking a bath with him before going to bed, Iolanthe let Reborn prepare the bath for them unaware of his thoughts to strike while the iron was still hot. She hadn’t gotten comfortable in the tube yet when she already had a toddler burrowing in her bosom. He could hear her panicked squeak, the fast beating of her heart and her unstable breathing.

Not for the first time, he was reminded of the fact that Iolanthe was able to see his true form and he smiled devilishly while carrying out his plan. He mercilessly teased her while searching for her sensitive spots and was pleasantly surprised when anywhere he pinched or nipped, she would always let out an alluring sound. Reborn sighed and internally pitied himself for this opportunity he had created but couldn’t take full advantage of.

“Stop.” She softly said. Reborn glanced at her face and cursed. She was looking at his real face with such a blissed out expression that he just couldn’t stop knowing her reaction was better than he expected.

“Hm?” He played dumb and continued his ministrations drawing circles on her abdomen. He didn’t dare to go below as that would be too creepy for both.

“I, I know I wronged… I,I..” It was fortunate that for all she asked him to stop, she didn’t take action herself in avoiding him or pushing him, so he was enjoying this game very much and committed to his mind all the spots he found extra sensitive. What he didn’t know was that as he took the initiative to run the bath, he accidentally mixed two bath salts that reacted differently on Iolanthe’s body due to her Magic, making it extra sensitive and docile.

“Hush, Iolanthe.” He whispered before nipping at her collarbone.

“Renato!” She breathlessly gasped while tensing. Reborn, meanwhile, froze. Did she… did she just… she just… and while he still had a baby body! Reborn got depressed then fury came and he suddenly stopped what he was doing getting out of the tube, grabbing a towel and speedily walking out of the bathroom. He gravely sat on the armchair by the hearth to stare at the embers. Moments later, he heard Iolanthe’s soft footsteps making her way towards him but he still kept staring.

Luckily, she just sat in front of him in the loveseat keeping quiet while he resolved his thoughts.

Being a Hitman, he had always boasted of his self-control and drive to go about his tasks and life; there were not many opportunities to be emotional or actually feel something towards someone. Yet since he came to London, he had been so out of his zone he never had the chance to settle down his thoughts and truly think things through. He admitted he was taking everything in stride and not really putting effort in what he was doing.

He reached the conclusion that regarding this marriage he had only been doing things half-heartedly and not like Iolanthe who was very involved in it. It was like only taking but not giving.

In hindsight, that was conditional of him. His Mother was taken away from him, his Flames and his life were taken away while he gave so much. He was alone, he was a murderer and his body was reduced to that of a toddler. With what right then he had to keep giving? So he started to take away. Since that moment he killed his Father he took away, only getting worse with time; his lovers were only playthings for him, his colleagues were only seen as burdens, he even abandoned his own Sky to her fortune.

He was angry all the time. Now that he was married, it got even worse.

The balanced life he had painfully built was crashing down with this marriage. He hated Checker-face for all this Arcobaleno bullshit, he hated Luce for her bullshit visions, he hated himself for thinking he had finally gotten his family, a Sky! Now he hated his situation and his Wife for reminding him that he was just a failed man. Self-deprecation settled in his heart and that originated more anger and more hatred. He had to do something because if things kept going like that, he didn’t know what he would do.

From the corner of his eyes he noticed Iolanthe placing an object on the table. It was a very ugly stone he had seen on one of the shelves among some other trinkets in the room. His eyes demanded Iolanthe to explain.

“This is the Ward Stone of Grimmauld Place. As soon as you are included in the Wards, you will know where everybody is in the house as well as get full ownership of it. As Lord Bla-“

His blood boiled and he madly swept the table making it crash against the bedroom door, almost taking it down too. The tea set on the table loudly broke on impact and he ignored Iolanthe’s yelp of shock still seething inside.

Here he was again, taking away, and from this person who he was supposed to reciprocate. He didn’t want to do this anymore, he, he… Pain seized his body which soon started convulsing. He instantly felt hands strongly keeping him in place and heard a very soft voice, no, it wasn’t soft, he was just in so much pain that he couldn’t hear well but could still see Iolanthe’s face. She was worried, almost hysterical, her lips moved calling out his name.

The last person who called him by his name was… who was it? Luce? No, she knew his name but he didn’t allow her to say it, no matter how close they were back then. It must have been his Mom since his scumbag Father only called him bastard. Why was Iolanthe calling his name? He thought he had explicitly told her to call him Reborn; Renato was the name of that helpless, weak person that couldn’t fight back, he didn’t want to be called like that weakling.

Yet here she was, saying it as if he could respond, would respond to that name. He wasn’t… he wasn’t… he was still weak. He still needed others; he just didn’t want to admit it. Wracked in pain, he noticed. Why hadn’t he noticed? He could still be the cruel bastard people thought of him, he could still be Reborn for them. But in front of her, he was Renato. She didn’t marry Reborn, she married Renato Sinclair. In front of her it was ok to be Renato.

The pain subsided and he could finally listen to her panicked voice, “Talk to me, Renato, please!” Her wand had been pointed at him, clearly running all type of diagnostics but not coming out with an answer. He was sure the pain he felt came from his soul. He was on the verge of losing his Flames because he wanted to renege on their marriage. He could still feel the lingering fear of losing his Flames.

“Mm, I’m ok now.” He rasped.

“Oh, thank God,” she breathed falling down like a paper doll, conjuring a glass which she filled with water and helped him sip. “Don’t do this to me again, I… I was scared.” She confessed her voice breaking at the end.

“Sorry, I made you suffer.” He really felt bad. Now that he realized that it was fine if she saw all his sides, weak or strong, it somewhat felt easier to communicate with her.

Before, there seemed to be a wall between them but now, they had a clear path ahead. He knew that with both their lives a mess, it won’t be all roses but thorns too; nevertheless, he was willing to face all those problems together with her. That is what he had discovered meant to be Husband and Wife.

“I’m fine, I was just worried about you. Your body suddenly started to spasm and your eyes reflected great pain. Are you hurt somewhere?” Her red eyes scanned his body making him aware that he was only wearing a towel around him while she was wearing a flimsy bathrobe that hung dangerously on her shoulders. Ah, the Heavens were not fair at all.

“Not hurt. Just tired. Let’s go to bed?” Iolanthe paused for a moment not quite believing him but she still reached out to embrace his body and walked towards the bed, expertly climbing in and plopping both of them in the middle of it, not once letting him go. Reborn inwardly sighed; it seemed he had truly scared her. He felt guilty but at the same time, he was enjoying this attention and he deeply breathed reveling in the clean smell emanating from her body.

He felt at peace with her, being in her arms or even in close proximity, he always felt at peace. He believed that although he fancied her, he was still far from loving her; he still felt content with having her beside him and now that he was able to, he wanted to think about that feeling. Being this close, he clearly felt her Magic humming around him, crooning and trying its best to help him feel better. He always thought that Iolanthe would have been an awesome Sky since that little spark of her Magic inside him acted like Sky Flames. Because of that, he didn’t need a Sky anymore.

His heart did a backflip when a thought crossed his mind. He didn’t need a Sky anymore. Did that mean that he had, in some sort of convoluted way due to their marriage vows and exchange of Magic and Flames Harmonized with Iolanthe? If so, that would explain many things between them.

There was this feeling of always wanting to keep his Wife where he could see her; he thought it was just because she was beautiful and wanted to enjoy the view. There was also this thing that made him accept all her quirks, disgruntled as he was and not very enthused by them. There was that Shamal thing, too; he never wanted the doctor near her. He attributed that to the man being a pervert and not wanting him fluttering around his Wife but now that he thought about it, it was because Shamal had a secondary Sun Flame and Reborn’s own Flames didn’t want a free Sun to loiter around her.

It might also be because he was possessive but the Sun Flames theory also applied.

All in all, he subconsciously had thought of Iolanthe as his Sky and as such he was acting as her Sun Guardian. Well, it was a bit unheard of that a Guardian and a Sky could get married but as she didn’t have Flames, it was fine, it was all on him. As such, the convoluted Harmonization together with their Marriage took him to the situation that his feelings as a Guardian were mixing together with the ones of a Husband. It was still very complicated yet he had plenty of time to analyze it later on when there was progress of any kind.

Now that he knew more about the type of relationship they shared in his heart, he was more than eager to move things on so he finally voiced out, “Sorry about the stone. And the table. And the tea set.” Really, he had been a brute at that moment; he even scared her.

Her fingers, which had been playing with his hair all this time paused for a second before resuming their action, “It won’t break… well, the other things did but that’s ok.”

“It’s not ok. I was just… I felt very useless.” He admitted. He resolved the Sky thing, but he hadn’t resolved his Marriage thing. Step by step, Reborn, step by step.

“Useless?” She sounded very surprised and confused.

Reborn nodded, it was hard for him to talk about it yet it was the right thing to do. “I feel useless as a man having you.”

At first Iolanthe didn’t understand what he meant but the image of what they had done in the bathtub came to her mind and her face flushed crimson. “O-oh.” She barely replied trying her best to not sound nervous but she miserably failed.

“Not only that, I have been very selfish, only taking away from you but not doing anything to repay for what you’ve done.” He ignored her nervous voice though hearing her being all nervous made his hurt pride as a man heal a bit. And his pride as a Sun healed too when he admitted he has not been very good with his ‘Sky’.

“That’s fine, Reborn, I-“

“Renato.”

“Huh?”

“When we are alone, you can call me Renato. I am your Husband; it’s only natural for you to call me by my name.” He explained. He didn’t feel anything by allowing her to call him by that name so he guessed he didn’t mind.

“Ok, Renato.” Reborn chuckled. Before she had no qualms to say his name but now she got all shy. This Wife of his was truly too cute.

“I confess I am no Husband material but I promise I will do my best to at least make you happy and give you what you want. Be it riches, children, pets, whatever you ask for, I will gladly give you anything; as long as you ask for it, I will never say no. Maybe that is pampering bordering on spoiling, however, both of us need this. I need to learn to give, and you need to learn to take.” He patiently explained.

Iolanthe was stunned by his words but at the same time she was very touched, “Thank you, Renato, I really appreciate your words. I knew you were only going through the motions of this marriage, not taking it seriously and I didn’t blame you for it; I was aware of arranged marriages in our society whereas you weren’t, so I understand if all this came to you as a shock. I had always thought my marriage would be an empty husk of me just popping out the kids I wanted while my Husband enjoyed the attention of becoming Lord Potter. So, I’m very grateful you want to try to make this work.”

“Mm, it truly came out of nowhere but I don’t regret it. If anything, I regret not being a proper Husband to you. You have to go to great lengths just so we don’t die due to the contract, yet I cannot do anything to help you. I may be a bastard to others but you are mine now, it is only natural that I do something for you.” At the end, he couldn’t say all the things he wanted to but he was happy with the progress in their relationship. “Now, where is that stone? I want to be able to stalk the people in this house without them knowing.”

Iolanthe chuckled and with a flick of her wrist the stone flew towards her palm. “Drip blood on it until it glows.” She instructed and Reborn readily did so.

“Now what?” He saw the stone glowing and he had felt the tug in his Flames letting him know the stone was doing its Magic.

“Now we go to sleep.” She replied placing the stone on the night table.

“That’s it?” Reborn asked incredulous. It was that simple? A bit of blood, a tug and it’s done?

“That’s it.” Iolanthe confirmed getting comfortable to go to sleep. “If you focus you will feel the house, its inhabitants and where they are in the house.”

Reborn closed his eyes and felt around his Flames to find a little knot near the floating orb that was his Wife’s Magic. He tapped the knot and in his mind, the dimensions of the house appeared. He could clearly see the whole house and little dots spread within it, he instinctively knew it was them. There was a dot in the second floor that the Wards let him identify as Draco, the dots in the fourth floor almost merged in the same room were Iolanthe and him. He didn’t find Kreacher around but that was not surprising, it seems Iolanthe would sometimes ask him to go to another house she owns to clean it.

Finally he found his student Stupid-Dino but he was not in his room…

“Why’s Stupid-Dino in the kitchen?” He mumbled.

“He snacks in the middle of the night. He has done so since he learned the pattern to open the kitchen.” Iolanthe sleepily informed him.

“Good, Stupid-Dino, tomorrow you will get extra training for that.” Reborn vowed with an eerie voice.

“Sleep, Renato,” she softly commanded with a peck on his lips. “You can think of methods to torture your student tomorrow.” Her arms tightened around his body plastering him against her almost exposed bosom and he forgot everything about stupid, glutton students. Relaxing his mind, he instantly fell asleep.

 

…

 

With Draco’s reminder, Reborn quickly put his ability to use. He found Draco making his way to the parlour, probably on his way to visit Astoria, there was no Dino in the house yet but he did find a Kreacher lurking in the dungeons and a basilisk making its way to the Master Bedroom, most likely to look for cuddles or sleep on the bed. Finally, he found Iolanthe in the kitchen and he swiftly walked there.

He had met a couple of women who would throw the china and break it while upset or emotional, then there was that one lover he had that went on a killing spree after he broke up with her. He once remembered Luce sulking and ignoring everybody while being angry yet he had never seen a woman who would go on a baking spree when upset, magically baking while being dazed. He supposed it was done unconsciously and that’s why he was advised to keep his distance.

With the knife, rolling pin and trays quickly rushing here and there, he would most likely have a hard time dodging so he quietly stayed put and sat at the table in the corner of the kitchen. He marveled at the sentience in Iolanthe’s Magic that carried the tasks in a precise and quick way without her bothering to control it. He also felt a shiver run down his spine when that same Magic served him tea and gently caressed him making his Flames suddenly spike.

Right, so her Magic was as cheeky as her or even more.

He even considered the theory that Iolanthe’s Magic was her true self; so for all that she looked and acted like a pure virgin (which she was) and also trying her best to portray herself as a woman of power with great status (which she also was), she was just a mischievous, bold thing that needed to flourish under the utmost care of someone who could take out those qualities in her. Well, she was married to him, so it would be a pity if she didn’t show that mischievous side.

That was a thought and action for later, now, he would just enjoy the tea in front on him.

What he didn’t know until much later was that all the baking was just the beginning of her revenge against him and Draco which left Dino dumbfounded but delighted to see his tutor in such a plight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On another note, I never expected the one-shot/prologues were well-received that I really feel bad for those waiting for an update when I am not even half-done with this fic... If I have the time, I will maybe sporadically update one or two of them. Maybe do a different event xD 
> 
> I will see what I can come up with and will let you know in the next update for this fic that is going to be.... Monday xD


	21. Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe's epiphany and a surprise for Reborn!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 out of 2 chapters with a flashback! As always I'm explaining the timeline so you understand what is going on. It begins after the first ... so you won't miss it. 
> 
> -chapter begins on Oct 13th  
> -flashback dates before the press conference, around Oct 3rd or 4th  
> -back to Oct 13th (does the date ring a bell? ;D)
> 
> Iolanthe does the mega teaser of the year! I had fun writing that xD  
> You know the usual warnings and there is a warning for Astoria's Pureblood views on marriage, so take all those views with a lot of salt, she was raised learning all those. Hope you enjoy the chapter :D

* * *

 

The day Luna returned to Grimmauld, Iolanthe was sent to her bedroom like a grounded child after they were done with deciphering the chart.

As soon as she stopped in front of the door of the Master Bedroom, for some reason, she got nervous. Well, it was something more than nervous. She stood there in front of the door trying to think what it was she was feeling. As an emotionally stunted person, she had to take a long time pondering about her emotions. It didn’t bother her since that helped her understand the reasons of why she was feeling a certain way and what to do in that case. After a couple of minutes she understood the reason of her nervousness.

Longing.

She missed her Husband.

If she hadn’t already realized that she actually loved Renato, then she would have panicked at that moment. The panicking was done when she first knew about her feelings, a couple of days before the press conference. She remembered that moment with fondness and mirth, she had felt truly young and innocent.

 

…

 

She was alone with Renato happily feeding him some new dessert she wanted to try. Quietly sitting there, she felt very content and fulfilled as if she needed nothing more aside from the man next to her. That time, she joked to herself thinking that maybe it was love yet when she truly thought about it, when it finally hit home, for some reason, she panicked.

And a panicked Iolanthe meant wild Magic. As such, red colored smoke exploded in the kitchen and Iolanthe ran towards the only person that could help her with her meltdown. Astoria. Draco would have been a good option but her little heart told her this was a girl thing. With Luna gone, Astoria was the only option.

Green flames spat out the hurried witch and without thinking about it, and thanks to the Wards, she ran to the Sunroom of the Black Townhouse in Wales, where Astoria was calmly reading a book about Healing Spells for the Dark Arts. That it was her day off didn’t mean that she could slack off with her studies. The brunette startled when the door opened all of a sudden almost making her drop her cup of tea. When she calmed down, a flurry of black curls, and deep blue satin fabric sat beside her.

“Astoria, help me!”

Astoria could count with one hand the times Iolanthe Potter asked for help. It wasn’t that she was arrogant to think that she could do it all; it was just that she thought that her burdens were hers alone and that she didn’t deserve any help with them. Astoria, as a Healer apprentice, had to somehow give Iolanthe basic therapies for that. She was no Mind Healer, but at least she tried to help. And it seemed that her days as a Mind Healer were resuming that day.

She primly poured tea in another cup and offered it to Iolanthe who gulped it down not bothering if it could scald her. Well, that told Astoria the issue of Iolanthe’s visit was a bit grave.

“Breathe, Iolanthe,” Astoria instructed going through the motions of breathing so Iolanthe could follow. Some time later with a more calmed Iolanthe, Astoria asked, “what has you all worried?” Her dainty hand gently grabbed the bespectacled witch’s hand to give some sort of support.

“I love my Husband.” Iolanthe confessed with a strangled voice.

Astoria’s brain halted. What? “You love your Husband?” She asked just to make sure she had heard correctly.

“Yes, we were eating some pastries, we were just there normally sitting, I was happy and it just hit me. I love my Husband.” Iolanthe repeated ranting rather incomprehensibly.

It took Astoria a couple of seconds to decide how to continue the conversation.

“I am guessing that is what you wanted with your marriage, no?”

“No, yes… I… isn’t it a bit too soon?” Iolanthe asked cradling the empty cup in her hands.

“How long were you expecting to wait to start loving your Husband?” Astoria wanted to laugh, not because the situation was ridiculous or the sort but because Iolanthe looked like a spooked rabbit trying to explain herself.

“I don’t know… It’s just… We’ve only been married for a bit more than a month and there are many things I don’t know about him so even if I want my marriage to work, I don’t want it to be based on hurried feelings just to fulfill my desire of wanting a normal marriage.”

“There is no such thing as hurried feelings, Iolanthe. I think it’s perfectly fine if you love your Husband even without knowing things about him. You know that according to most arranged Pureblood Marriages, the couple isn’t even required to love each other, only to learn to coexist. So, the fact you are able to love your Husband in an arranged marriage is a blessing in itself.” Seeing that Iolanthe didn’t look convinced, Astoria tried for a different approach. “Is there something you hate about your Husband?”

“No, not really.”

“Is there something you dislike about him?” Astoria tried again.

“Not that I can think of.”

“Is there something you disagree with him?” Well, it seemed either Iolanthe truly didn’t know anything about her Husband or there truly wasn’t anything bad about him.

Iolanthe paused. Ok, there might be something bad about him. “Maybe his job.” That was a bit rich coming from Iolanthe, whose job was scorned by the majority of the British Community. “I can’t say what he does, I can just say it’s a bit dangerous.” Oh so it was like that. Astoria felt the two were made for each other if both their jobs were not accepted by normal standards.

“Would you like him to do another thing?”

“Even if I tell him to change his career, he might not do it. Actually, I am not sure if he can do anything else than his job, he’s totally perfect for it.” Iolanthe replied with a sigh. Astoria hid her smile behind her tea cup, it was truly nice seeing this side of the great Lady Potter, Woman-Who-Conquered. She didn’t look any different than other normal witch talking about love and her object of affections, and that’s great progress after the skittish person she found when Draco presented them.

“Right, you have to know Iolanthe, that there might be things you might dislike about him and that there will be an infinite amount of things you will disagree with him. The point about marriage is that you learn to accept those differences between you two. The fact that you love him means that you are ready to take him as the person who you will want to spend the rest of your life with and that no matter if you fight or get along, you will always be happy having him by your side.”

Iolanthe’s face turned pensive with Astoria’s words. She didn’t know if it was because she heard someone else’s views or because airing her thoughts let new ones enter her mind that she could easily come with several conclusions. Draco had already told her that there was nothing wrong to be attracted to her Husband and that she could even make him like her just like how his Mother did with his Father. Of course, she didn’t want her marriage to be based on dependency like the Malfoy’s. Neither she wanted it to be like the Dursleys, where her Aunt was more like a loved pet who only did chores but had no voice in the house.

The Weasleys were fine, they loved each other and were happy, yet she thought that Mrs. Weasley was too overbearing and Mr. Weasley too indulgent. She wanted her marriage to be based on freedom; freedom to express, to do what they liked and wanted (of course, affairs were not included, she would kill her Husband before the contract did it if he ever cheated on her) without one diminishing the other’s actions and ideas. But most of all she wanted her marriage to be about trust and acceptance.

Maybe the reason she loved her Husband was because at some point she believed that he could accept every aspect of her life and not turn around from her knowing how broken and imperfect she was. She also had started to trust him with her life; not just for protection, but with other matters like handling the house or maybe the money, she was thinking of him helping her manage her assets. That was how much she trusted him.

Before getting married to Renato, she had envisioned whoever would become her Husband having the empty title of Lord Potter with her managing everything and not letting that fake Husband touch a single coin -never mind letting him touch a single thing Black or Peverell-related. Somehow, Renato was different from the beginning but that was thought for later. She sighed. Having her thoughts more or less organized, she felt better.

She looked at Astoria, who was silently sipping her tea, giving her the chance to think and gripping the younger witch’s hand, she smiled. “Thank you.”

“You know you can always count on me for these things. We might as well have a girls outing when Luna comes back. Merlin knows she also needs to see what Rolf Scamander is doing.” She quipped.

Iolanthe laughed. “Yeah, though she might not be that clueless about it. I think she is just waiting for Rolf to directly ask her out, not do all those indirect gestures. She has more experience dating, what with her going out with Neville for some time.”

“I guess you are right.” Astoria agreed. Luna might sometimes have wisdom beyond her age, so it wouldn’t surprise her if she actually knew what she was doing. That only left Iolanthe the only one floundering in her relationship. Astoria was very happy with Draco, thank you very much. She liked him ever since they were kids so she didn’t mind her family leaving her behind because of him.

“Thanks again for listening to me, I have to return. I left a bewildered Husband in my kitchen.” She giggled to then leave more settled that how she arrived. Astoria shook her head and went back to her book.

 

…

 

Reborn felt it when Iolanthe stood outside the room and waited for her to come in. Luna Lovegood had told him Iolanthe would be coming back to their bedroom yet he didn’t believe her that much. Lo and behold, his Wife was there. After a couple of minutes without any movement behind the door, Reborn gave up and thought she would not enter. He never thought she would be this stubborn when it came to the press conference and he had had enough of her pranks these past days.

He definitely didn’t want to have the body of a balloon again and float around the house. Even his student laughed at his situation. The good thing was that it gave Reborn the idea to train Dino with aerial attacks; asking Leon to transform into a propeller for better maneuvering and to drop bombs on Stupid-Dino was something he enjoyed very much and forgot about how he came to that problem. What he didn’t appreciate was the day he was made to yodel while speaking. Needless to say, he avoided talking that day.

His suffering ended the day before when he woke up to a normal day; no strange voices, no strange body states, no appearing in embarrassing places and no weird dreams. He still shivered from those dreams he had, arousing scenes still etched in his mind. That was why for two days he dedicated himself to giving all type of gifts to Iolanthe in apology. He indiscriminately used Kreacher to deliver dozens upon dozens of gifts to her as she was still shut in the library. The flowers where his latest gift; all of them Magnolias Iolanthe especially for her.

He was very impressed with himself with the range of gifts he could come up with in the span of two days. He even got the tree for the Magnolias so she could plant it wherever she wanted. That was the first gift for the next day if she still didn’t come out. He had also prepared a fireworks show that could be seen from the Library and was contemplating a serenate. The door opening took him out of his thoughts and he feigned being asleep to see what she would do.

He heard her light footsteps that stopped beside the bed. Reborn waited. The bed dipped on the far side and he could hear how she crawled to the side he was sleeping in. Reborn still waited. He felt her body leaning towards him, her warm breath on his face but he still didn’t move. It was the first time he felt anticipation towards what a woman would do to him. He couldn’t think of what Iolanthe would do yet her moving away was not what he had in mind. Not even what she said after that.

“Alright, alright, keep pretending, I wanted to ask you to take a bath with me but it seems you look dead set in trying to sleep.” Saying that, she promptly left the bed and headed to the bathroom where she readily ran the bath. Reborn didn’t wait for a second longer and he speedily made his way to the bathroom before stopping right at the door by some Ward she must have installed letting him witness the most provocative sight ever. “Glad to see you joining me, Renato.” She purred while ever so slowly unbuttoning her black and white tulle robe letting it slide down her shoulders and pool down at her feet.

Fuck! He knew she was still angry!

Oh, Giotto above, she wasn’t wearing underwear!

Nooo, don’t lean over! Daaaammmnnnn!

Why, dammit! Why he couldn’t move!

This was worse than all those pranks!

She daintily entered the bath and let out a soft moan that made his mind explode. If he didn’t have a toddler body, he knew he would be hard as rock and aching all over. He needed to take revenge on her one day for this. Most likely when he recovered his normal body, she would finally taste the result of all her teasing.

“Renato,” she softly called making him glance at her. She was looking at him with such gentle eyes that all his naughty thoughts flew away from his mind, only to be replaced by mushiness. “Happy Birthday, Renato.”

He startled. Oh. Oh, he had forgotten it was his birthday what with him being busy trying to please her. Before, he was very adamant in celebrating his birthday or more like, he always selfishly tried to celebrate it without caring what others said. He never thought there would be a day when he would actually forget. He didn’t know how to feel. Actually, he didn’t feel anything as if that wasn’t important at all. Now, that! He didn’t know what think about that!

“Are you going to stand there? Come here.” Iolanthe pouted. She bravely and especially did all that show for him but he just stood there like an idiot even after she vanished the Ward. Well, Luna didn’t really need to scold her to come back to her rooms because she had decided she would do so on his birthday. She could have come back earlier but seeing that they could finish their work that night, they decided to push it.

It was a good thing that she had asked Dino a couple of days before about Renato’s birthday and was able to prepare all this. The flowers in the house motivated her to do her best for him in this little event. The splash in the water, the tiny arms that encircled her waist and the head that shamelessly buried in her bosom startled her out of her thoughts yet she calmed down and embraced him back. Many times she had fantasized what it would be like to hold his true body but she could still wait.

Wait for it to be even more special for the both of them. Or at least it would be for her, knowing she would give herself to the man she loved. The sweetness in her heart at that thought made her smile and open up her heart.

“I missed you.” She quietly confessed in the silence of the night. The days she was away from him had her realize that even when she knew about her own feelings, she hadn’t expressed them because of fear. Fear of what he would say or think, or more like what he wouldn’t say. Yet she found herself more fearful of what would happen if she didn’t say it. So she vowed to always express her feelings to him, no matter if he never responded in kind or reciprocated her.

Imagine her surprise when he actually replied, “Missed you too.” Though the moment was broken by his next words. “Please don’t play pranks on me where my student can see them.” That startled a laugh out of her.

Reborn watched pleased how his Wife laughed. He would deny to his dying breath that he said that to avoid being awkward actually saying he missed his Wife. It was stupid, he knew, yet he thought his words were a bit insincere compared to hers, or maybe they had different meanings. He was feeling very complicated thinking that their Marriage was getting more and more serious. He was panicking, therefore, he was trying to avoid these moments he wasn’t be able to reply in a satisfactory way to her.

After all, above everything, he wanted her to be happy. And he would be damned if his own lack of love affected her pure feelings.

“I have a gift for you too. Let’s get out, the water is getting cold anyway.” Iolanthe suddenly said having no problem in carrying him out of the tube and wrapping them both in the same towel. Reborn jumped down from her arms when she walked to the wardrobe and automatically chose the sleepwear and underwear for her to then choose the one for himself.

She had no qualms in wearing the almost see-through violet piece with its matching undies if that is what her Husband wanted. She walked to the shelves to take out some portfolios and placed them on the table of the little sitting area in the room. She didn’t even have to wait for her Husband to arrive when he was already climbing up her lap.

“What are these?” He asked eyeing the very thick portfolios.

“These are the assets for the Potter, Black and Peverell Houses.” She easily replied spreading each portfolio around the table.

“What?” Reborn asked breathless.

“I want you to help me manage the three Houses.” She explained. She had been thinking about it for a long time and believed it was a nice idea to make it his birthday gift. She wanted him to know that she trusted him completely.

“I can’t accept this.” He muttered looking at her with disbelief in his eyes. Hadn’t they agreed to not meddle in each other’s money? How come she was changing her mind now?

“It’s ok, Renato. I’ve thought about it and I decided that I want you to be a proper Lord Potter, Lord Black and Duke Peverell. My wish is for you to truly be my Husband.” She said with a soft voice.

If by then Reborn didn’t know the true meaning of her intentions, then he would have been better dead. The problem was, he wasn’t sure if he should say or do something as he didn’t want her to misunderstand what he truly felt. He was truly helpless and a bit guilty, though more than that he was happy. For the first time in years he was happy being with someone and he was happy with the life that awaited him with her.

He hesitantly took the Black Portfolio since Iolanthe had mentioned the Potters only had two houses and a few shares in some businesses with everything else safely put in the vaults of Gringotts. It was the Black Family that had the more assets; many houses around the world, restaurants in the main shopping districts of the Wizarding World and obscure shops outside Great Britain.

Reborn randomly opened the portfolio and the pages showed him some of the houses. Many were small vacation villas like the one in the mountains of Switzerland or the beach house in Ukraine. Some were townhouses like the one in, surprisingly, Gibraltar, Beijing and Tokyo. There were even mansions in the States, Argentina and oh surprise, Italy. Though his face somewhat constipated when he saw the address of the mansion in Italy and inwardly cackled. He will have so much fun in the future!

Before he was able to ask about that mansion, the fireworks he had prepared for her suddenly exploded getting her attention from a few pages she was reading from the Peverell portfolio. Walking towards the glass door that led to the balcony, she grabbed a robe to guard herself from the cold and went out, curious about the noise.

Left alone, Reborn sighed. Glancing at the portfolio on his lap, he contemplated about the reason why she allowed him to look at them. It seemed he still wasn’t prepared for the seriousness of this relationship. Maybe it was because his relationships never got this serious or he didn’t let them to get to that point. He didn’t expect much from this marriage but it seemed just letting things go its normal way proved to make it even more enjoyable and fun. For now he didn’t want to think about it so he joined Iolanthe in enjoying the show.

He had to admit asking Draco for help with this was his best idea. Iolanthe liked Weasley Wizard Wheezes’ products but more than that, she liked their fireworks. That George guy almost gave him all his stock when he knew they were for Iolanthe, but the red-hair desisted of that and just gave him the new one he had created and wasn’t actually tested.

Well, Reborn had to say that for an untested product it was very nice. He could have done without the finale of Iolanthe’s name appearing in the air with hearts around it. That needed some thinking. Why the heck a George Weasley had a firework that was especially made for Iolanthe and even had such a cheesy finale? Well, he will have to think about it the following day since his toddler body was already screaming for some sleep. With this body he could never have a sleepless night.

Yet before he could even jump down from the table he had perched himself to enjoy the show, arms encircled around his body and Iolanthe whispered words that left him stunned. “I love you, Renato.”

Fuck his toddler body, he didn’t sleep that night.

 

…

 

Luna was more than satisfied with the bit of gossip she got from Draco on what happened during the days after that press conference and before she returned to the house. It turned out to be one nightmarish prank after the other.

In her humble opinion, the one for Draco was the best. That one cupcake that turned him into a beautiful, curvaceous woman with long rainbow hair and was sent to the bustling Diagon Alley through a timed Portkey was pure gold and she regretted not being there. It was also nice that Astoria took everything in stride and teased Draco about his new body. She was also sure that apart from the public pranks, there were some played on the Sunny Lord done in privacy to preserve some of his dignity.

The only prank she was able to get out of Iolanthe’s tight lips was that in which she played with Succubus Essence together with her Husband’s dinner to tease him a bit. As a Magizoologist, she knew very well what that did to the toddler Lord and for some time she pitied him as Iolanthe described his gloomy mood that showed hints of hunger… as to what he was hungry about, well, Luna was fine not thinking about it.

Though now that she was back, it was no surprise that she was roped into the madness that was their research. The day before she barely mentioned she knew a couple of runes and she was bombarded with questions. Although she was tired from all those days camping and learning with the Seer, she was reminded of those days when they were trying to tackle their N.E.W.T.s being locked in the library and yelling as if it was a market while studying. She sighed a bit nostalgic.

The only downside was that the next day she came back, she found a very calm, suspiciously calm, a calmed-that-would-snap-at-any-moment-yet-it-was-unknown-what-route-it-would-take Iolanthe sitting at the table in the kitchen with breakfast ready but not touching anything except for her cup of tea. Luna very quietly made her way towards the table and sat down. Iolanthe didn’t move. Her blue eyes spotted a piece of paper with neat calligraphy innocently laying by the bacon. Luna was never one for gossip about love life but she knew the letter was the reason for Iolanthe’s mood so she easily took it to read it.

_Dear Iolanthe,_

_I need to go back to Italy due to an urgent matter regarding my student._

_I am not running away from you or because of what you told me._

_I will surely come back for the ritual._

_Renato._

This either explained everything or didn’t at all. For Luna, it was the second. So she braved herself to be subjected to Iolanthe’s mood and asked, “Did something happen?”

“Yesterday, I told him I love him.” Iolanthe whispered after taking another sip of her tea. Oh, well, THAT explained it all. Luna, for all the wisdom she could impart to the souls, had no idea what to say. Seconds later, a very feminine Draco entered the kitchen and heavily sat on his chair.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to put a bra on? I am not saying I am getting used to this body because I’m not. Astoria is just having so much fun with it that I am afraid she might change my body some time in the future just for the heck of it. I really didn’t know she had this kind of kink and- ouch!”

Draco stopped his ranting by the well-placed pinch from Luna and the letter that was slapped on his face. Reading it, Draco only raised an eyebrow not really understanding what this was all about until Luna very inconspicuously asked him to read her mind. And when he saw what he was supposed to see, he looked at Iolanthe a bit complicated yet seeing her dispirited self, he knew he had to do something. He continued spreading butter on his bread as if nothing had happened.

“Well, you know what this means.” He said putting bacon on the bread and giving it a bite.

“What does it mean?” Asked Iolanthe very aware of the exchanged that happened in front of her.

“It means that there is a new Winter Collection coming out in Paris and that we must go check it out and empty a vault or two buying stuff just for the fun of it.”

Never underestimate a Malfoy and their tendency of being spendthrifts. No wonder he lived very lavishly and bragged a lot about what he bought. It was just that Luna and Iolanthe didn’t know under what circumstances he went to buy all that stuff. But now that they knew, they thought it was completely ridiculous and just what they needed.

So, four witches, uh, three witches and a wizard -Astoria very much included in this random trip for the first time- went to the Ministry to ask for an International Portkey with destination to Paris. The news that Iolanthe Potter, Luna Lovegood, Astoria Greengrass and Draco Malfoy travelled to France made it to The Prophet and soon the whole community knew about it. Not that any of the four cared as they were too drunk by the time their trip made it to the papers.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title was a big spoiler for this chapter but I bet you didn't expect that! Also, sorry if you expected more pranks or the detailed description of them. You still got a rough understanding of what Reborn and Draco suffered xD
> 
> Magnolias Iolanthe do exist people, you can look them up, they are very beautiful. So, yes, Iolanthe is named after a flower.
> 
> On another spoiler.... Reborn finally sees some action on chapter 30!!! XD It's got a bit of a twist and all in good fun :D It's fair to let you know when they are finally taking that step after all the teasing between them :3 Especially in this chapter.
> 
> AND, on another note! This author went to her grandma's house on the weekend and thought of what to do with the one-shots. I had been checking the statistics and let me tell you they are a mess xD none is actually the second in everything, they are always different so! I decided I will take the top three and write a chapter of them to be posted on May 1st to celebrate Beltane :D Yes, readers, I celebrate the Sabbats :3 Wait for May 1st!


	22. Cavallone Boss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reason why Reborn left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dino is back! And we finally see him being badass and kicking asses! 
> 
> I remember someone said in the comments that after Dino was trained by both Reborn and Iolanthe he would become a super Flame user and think of other Flame users as lame or weak. Well, he didn't become the best fighter out there but he truly is one of the best. 
> 
> So, let's dedicate a moment to be proud of Dino. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!

* * *

 

Cavallone Headquarters

Dino was sitting very solemnly in the waiting room of the Medical Ward from the Cavallone Famiglia. He didn’t know how he did it but Milano, his Father’s Cloud Guardian, was able to send the news that his Father was attacked while he was on his way to sell of one of the Cavallone mansions they had in Norway. They had no idea who the attacker was yet and it had been a couple of hours since the Head of the Famiglia had been in surgery.

It was in these couple of hours waiting that he was told about the state of the Cavallone Famiglia. They were in bankruptcy. The banks had already taken the houses they had in Rome, Turin, even the ones in Greece and Portugal. They had basically just been able to keep the main house and the smallest horse ranch behind the house; and that was with a huge debt just for the favor of keeping them. The sale of the house in Norway, which was the only one that hadn’t been taken by the bank yet, was their hope of paying off at least part of that debt.

Who would have thought they would be attacked? His Father barely survived, the Guardians… only Milano and Stefano, the Sun Guardian, survived. If his Father didn’t survive, then…

The door to the surgery room opened showing a very tired Stefano who still had dried blood on his eyebrow and there was a badly bandage and gruesome cut on his neck. Behind him, a very flamboyant Sun with half green hair and sunglasses appeared equally tired. Dino was very surprised seeing him there, but thinking that it might have been Squalo who asked the Sun Officer of the Varia, Lussuria, to help Dino’s Father then it made a bit of sense.

“Dino, dear, you are here.” Well, he still wasn’t used to the very touchy-feely Officer but he reluctantly accepted the hug.

“How is he?” Dino asked trying and failing to make Lussuria let him go.

“Bad.” Replied Stefano, the middle-aged man didn’t look to well either. “He might not make it past the night.”

Silence descended on the room. It was normal for his Father’s Guardians to be silent, they were about to lose their Sky after losing four companions in an ambush; it would be fortunate if they didn’t follow him to the afterlife. Dino didn’t know what to say. Just the day before he was still training to be a Mafia Boss but now he was facing the possibility to be a Mafia Boss, it was a huge difference and more than anything he was afraid he would not be up to his Father as a Sky and Head of the Cavallone Famiglia.

Still, Reborn being silent was a first and Dino had more or less expected his tutor to tell him what to do or at least spare some encouraging words -with a mocking remark included- yet he was as silent as all of them. Now that he thought about it, the Sun Arcobaleno had been very quiet since they left England and Dino wasn’t sure if something had happened or if he also thought that Dino was not ready to be a Boss.

“Reborn?” Dino called for him. He was his tutor so the least he could do was look for advice from him. Though the Hitman just looked back at him with unfathomable eyes and Dino started to think that he really didn’t need Reborn’s advice. “I… what should I do?” Yet he still thought asking was for the best.

“That is something you should decide Dino. No matter if your Father lives or not, from now on you are the Head of the Cavallone Famiglia.” Reborn ruthlessly threw Dino to the wolves that was the Mafia World.

“Huh? But I… he…”

“Do you think that even if Don Cavallone, your Father, survives the night, he would spring up and take the mantle as if nothing happened?” Dino jolted at those words and felt ashamed for not thinking about it. “You like it or not Dino, right now you are the Head, so pull yourself together and start running your Famiglia.”

Only then Dino noticed that all the people around were looking at him, expecting them to begin giving orders. He realized that was the result of his Father repeating over and over again that he would be succeeding him, he had conditioned the whole Famiglia to wait for Dino’s order in the off chance that his Father wouldn’t be able to do it again. Dino took a deep breath to calm down.

“Send the best investigation team to know who was behind the attack. As soon as you get the information, the better. Whoever did this, has a debt to pay.” Dino finally said.

“Yes!” Replied all the men that had been waiting leaving him, Reborn, Milano, Stefano and Lussuria in the room.

“It’s time I go Dino, dear; Belphegor has not been well since what happened to Xanxus. Someone has to tell him repeatedly that killing our own workforce is not done so openly and for everybody to see; we are already understaffed as it is. Squalo is thinking of making Mammon take care of him but that guy will surely ask to be paid for it. Anyway, call me if you need anything.” Lussuria crooned while gently caressing Dino’s arm, who got goosebumps but had no courage to tell anything to the Sun Officer.

He was from the Varia, if they ever fought, Dino would be dead in less than 10 seconds, that’s for sure.

“A-alright, thanks for coming and send greetings to Squalo.” Dino said in a tight voice. It wasn’t until the flamboyant man left that Dino could sigh in relief. “That was worse than Reborn’s training.” He mumbled only to earn a kick in the back from said tutor.

“Very well, Dino. You will soon face your first Mafia raid, so that means training!”

If screams and wails were heard in the house nobody said anything as it was very normal for some poor soul to be tortured in some shady room. Though, someone would have said something if they knew it was their new Boss who was suffering the most gruesome training he had ever experienced. In the middle of the night, a figure was crawling in the hallways of the Cavallone mansion, pitiful moans of pain coming out from its mouth. Suddenly footsteps sounded in that same hallway, then stopped just behind the crawling figure.

“He died.” A tight voice said. Dino, who was laying on the floor, identified the voice as Stefano. The young Boss forgot about his own pain to process the news.

“Prepare the things.” Dino replied blankly. Stefano just turned around and left. Dino didn’t want to think how Milano and Stefano were faring; as Guardians they had basically failed protecting their Sky so it wouldn’t surprise him if in the morning either or both disappeared or died. Many Guardians chose that than to live with the pain of a broken bond. He didn’t have any Guardians so he didn’t know what it was like to Harmonize and break a bond.

His Guardians most likely would be chosen from the members of the Famiglia or he might as well live without Guardians. Not hurting that much anymore, he stood up and looked out the window towards the gardens. The moonlight showed the once extravagant gardens which many Famiglias envied just for the opulence, now they looked very decadent and somewhat eerie. He sighed guessing it now rested upon him to raise the Cavallone name from the pit it was in.

The funeral was very simple, not many people attended. Of course, most were closest friends with more than one Mafiosi trying to stir trouble by mocking how the Cavallone Famiglia had fallen. Dino had no qualms to order his men to kill each and any person who had the guts to besmirch his Famiglia and the body be thrown to the streets. He still remembered how Reborn did things when they were doing business in London.

The result was that no one else tried their luck or tested Dino’s mood.

That was the only downside of the funeral; the surprise came when Daniela Vongola attended the ceremony. The very aged Ottava of the Vongola Famiglia was gently pushed on her wheelchair into the hall where the ceremony was taking place by another very aged gentleman; many recognized the man as her Rain Guardian. The room fell silent the moment she appeared and Dino wondered why she had come. As a good host, he politely greeted her.

“It’s an honor having you here in the Cavallone mansion, Ottava.”

“What honor,” she dismissed. “I came to say goodbye to a friend of mine, nothing more, nothing less.”

With those words, she gestured her Rain Guardian to keep pushing her towards the casket where Don Cavallone’s body laid. Dino had never heard of his Father being friends with the Ottava but consciously knowing that the Cavallone had been very loyal to the Vongola, then it was no surprise that such a relationship existed. To be fair, Daniela always had the habit of inviting the Heads or the Heads’ Wives of all the Famiglia to parties she frequently organized.

According to many, it was a way of her to keep herself informed of who was who and from which Famiglia. Those parties were cradle of many rumors so it could be said that Daniela Vongola knew everything that concerned the Mafia. It also helped that she was a very sociable person.

By the end of the day, everybody orderly left with only the sparse members of the Cavallone Famiglia and a Daniela Vongola, who was talking with Reborn, remaining in the Hall. As much as Dino felt curious about the exchange between the Ottava and his tutor, he didn’t dare to approach and just instructed his men to carry the casket towards the burial grounds of the Cavallone Famiglia behind the mansion. It still felt surreal; the last time he had seen his Father, he was very much alive but now…

“My condolences, young Cavallone.” The soft, soothing voice of Daniela came from behind Dino who visibly startled. She didn’t mind his reaction and gently took his hand. “I wish you the best leading your Famiglia.”

“Thank you, Ottava.” Dino whispered.

“And have fun in your hunt!” If her smile was a bit too bloodthirsty then Dino didn’t mention it. With that, the Vongola Ottava left. Dino sighed.

“Well done, Stupid-Dino, you managed to remain unmoved by the Ottava’s pressure.” His tutor suddenly said jolting Dino again. How many people that day would sneak on him like that?

“Iolanthe is sometimes more terrifying than the bloodthirsty Ottava.” Dino absentmindedly replied. It was true though; he almost died that day when he innocently mentioned that the house-elf, Kreacher, was a very convenient servant. He was scolded until he was a skittish, apologizing mess and even became very polite towards the elf from then on. While witnessing the scene Reborn remained silent and when Dino chanced a look at his tutor, he found that Reborn didn’t know if he wanted to laugh at his student misfortune or look smug that his Wife was this terrifying.

Yeah, the same expression he was sporting right now.

“Don’t look like that Reborn. I know you are also afraid of her.” Dino said but instantly regretted it when he was chased by a barrage of bullets until he was finally hit by a bomb.

Typical funeral in a Famiglia.

Later that night news about who the attacker was came. The Hall where the funeral ceremony took place was once again full of people, just that this time it was all members of the Cavallone who looked ready to kill or die to avenge their previous Boss. The doors opened and in came their new Boss, their new young Boss. It was not surprising that some members didn’t expect too much of this youngster and a few were looking to make trouble during this meeting.

“Our target is the Gela Famiglia.” Dino directly announced.

The Gela Famiglia was a middle-sized Famiglia who had been enemies with the Cavallone and coveted the position the latter one had with the Vongola. The intel had also mentioned that the Gela Famiglia was the main reason why all the businesses from the Cavallone had failed resulting in the whole Famiglia going to bankruptcy. This had been a work of years and now they were preparing to give the final hit.

Unfortunately, they had underestimated the influence the Cavallone Famiglia possessed, with or without money, they could still pull up a favor here and there and that’s how they had managed to discovered the culprit. So, before the Gela had the chance to do anything, the Cavallone would retaliate first.

“Two Storm teams, two Mist teams and a Sun team will follow me to the Gela Headquarters, the rest will stay.” The young Cavallone Boss commanded.

“What makes you think we will follow you, kid?” A member in the front sneered.

The audience was waiting to know how Dino would answer to this defiance of his authority. The loyal members of the Famiglia expected their young Boss to put the man in his place, the ones who were very neutral just waited to see if Dino was worth it to be the new Boss and those who doubted only wanted to see Dino fail. What none expected was Dino taking out a whip and with inhuman speed flicked it towards the man who wanted to stir trouble, instantly pulverizing half of his body with no chance to defend himself.

“Any other questions?” Dino impassively asked slowly rolling his whip. All the members present thought him very domineering and strong, very much like a Mafia Boss but what they didn’t know was that Dino was quaking in his boots. Iolanthe had told him to never use the Reducto Curse inlaid in the whip together with his Flames on a person unless truly necessary. She hadn’t said why but now that he knew the reason, he was more than eager to heed her advice. “Good, we are leaving in ten.” He calmly made his way out the Hall but just before he left, he faintly said. “Begin.” The doors closed again and he ignored the screams that came from inside the Hall.

He didn’t know how his Father hadn’t noticed but there were almost a hundred people from the Gela Famiglia infiltrated in the ranks. They all were Rains and Lightnings, so it wasn’t that obvious but sometimes they were vital parts on a raid and if they deliberately messed up then it wouldn’t be surprising if many people died. Especially in this raid.

Dino was not that stupid to only leave the job to investigate to his own Famiglia. Iolanthe had taught him that if you were in doubt of someone, then consider them your enemy. Reborn approved her advice so he had no qualms in following it. He secretly communicated with Squalo and asked for a very discreet team in the Varia to investigate the matter. He was very surprised when the Storm and Mist Officers themselves gathered the intel and it was in that intel that he discovered the spies. He chose a team of Storms to get rid of them before the attack on Gela Headquarters.

He felt queasy knowing he had ordered to kill that many people but he had decided that he would be a Boss who could truly depend on his members and his members to trust his decisions.

Reaching the entrance of the mansion, Dino noticed Milano and Stefano, his Father’s Guardians, waiting for him. He didn’t need to be a genius to know why they were there so he just nodded at them and kept walking towards the vans that were prepared for this raid. Reborn had told him that he would not interfere in the matter, no matter if he was his home tutor, so Dino was alone in this. No, not alone; he reminded himself seeing the loyal members of the Cavallone Famiglia boarding the vans. He could do this.

 

…

 

The Head of the Gela Famiglia was very much enjoying the woman he got for the night, her sultry voice resounded in the room while he expertly moved his hips. He was in a good mood; his plan to make the Cavallone Famiglia fall was finally in its last stage so he had decided to celebrate ahead of time with a vigorous night of sex. In the morning, he just had to order his men to destroy the main house of the Cavallone together with its members so his Gela Famiglia would take its place as the third most influential Famiglia in the Mafia.

The thought was exhilarating enough that he increased his pace making the woman under him scream in pleasure.

Just after he was done emptying himself inside her, the ground shook; but he dismissed it as it was not rare for Mafiosi to go wild before a raid, or at least not in the Gela Famiglia. He was preparing the woman on his bed for a second round when the door was violently opened, his Cloud Guardian panting and with a frenetic voice he said, “We are under attack.”

“What?!” The Head of the Gela Famiglia instantly jumped out of the bed pushing away the woman just a few moments ago he was whispering sweet nothings to. “Who is it?! Who has the guts to attack us?!” He roared while putting some clothes on.

“The Cavallone.” The Cloud Guardian reported.

The Head paused, a sneer forming on his face. “Very good, Cavallone. Order the guys to attack, we’ll see who falls first.” The crazed laugh that followed was drowned by the explosion in his room.

…

The Cavallone men watched in amazement how the ugliest plants they had ever seen felled all the Gela men who approached them within 20 meters. They weren’t sure why their young Boss had been very adamant in bringing these potted plants but seeing the effect of their cries, they started wondering where he found such marvelous things. Of course, they didn’t think they could just depend on this attack to get rid of the Gela Famiglia but it was enough to get rid of the low level members.

“Boss, where did you get these?” A man with a Mohawk asked. Dino remembered him because his name was Ivan Draco; he almost laughed himself silly when he knew.

“Uh, I borrowed them from a friend.” Well, he kind of smuggled them out of the house. He didn’t think Draco would mind that a few Mandragoras and a pot of Devil’s Snare were taken from the Greenhouse. If asked, he would say it was Reborn’s idea. It truly was and Dino had to bow down to his tutor’s foresight. They were really useful and their cries too dangerous, the dead member of his own Famiglia who wasn’t able to cover his ears on time could attest to that. “Right, repot the things. It’s time to get some action.” Dino ordered seeing that many Gela members didn’t dare to get close to them anymore.

The Cavallone men quickly put the plants down and got their weapons ready. They didn’t even receive a signal when their young Boss instantly made the entrance of the Gela mansion explode with a snap of his whip. They didn’t know what kind of whip that was but it was very awesome, the thing could even spit fire! Unknown to Dino, his Cavallone men started to worship him all because of his whip.

It wasn’t hard for the Cavallone group to infiltrate and kill all the people they encountered in the Gela Headquarters, the fact it was an ambush helped them to prevent the enemy to organize, the destructive power of Dino’s whip also inflicted some sort of deterrence in their confidence.

“Boss, we found a Cloud running towards the inner parts of the mansion.” A Sun reported to Dino. The main reason why they were making such a big ruckus was to either force the Head of the Gela out or for some member, preferably a Guardian, to take them to the Head. Their plan finally bore fruits.

“Follow him.” The fight made Dino get used to how the Mafiosi worked. It was all very bloody and messy and much more when Storms were involved. With another explosion from his whip, Dino removed himself from the fight between the members to follow the Cloud. He almost lost sight of him but the Cloud loudly screaming while opening some doors betrayed his position.

The many lessons and fights with Reborn and Iolanthe were etched into his bones so he knew that a quick attack would leave the people in disarray. _Be fast, Dino,_ Iolanthe had said, _quickly gain the upper hand so you have more chances to live._ The times he could best Iolanthe in a duel were counted with one hand. Dino didn’t know how she did it since her speed couldn’t compare with his yet she could somehow, keep up with him.

“Maxima!” Dino was very thankful of Iolanthe teaching him how to use the whip he was given. They had discovered that if he said Maxima while flicking the whip casting the Bombarda inlaid in it, he was able to use the more potent version of the spell. If he used his Flames together with it instantly destroying the room where he could hear voices, then that was a plus.

The result was a mangled body which had received the brunt of the spell, another body near the bed that was bleeding due to some shrapnel and the coughing, bleeding body of the Head of the Gela Famiglia. It looked like he was saved by his Cloud at the last second. Dino didn’t let off and continued attacking. The Gela Head was not so stupid to stay put and dodged to the side taking out his guns and counterattacking.

Dino was very surprised he could keep up with a very experienced Mafioso and Head of a Famiglia, he could even somewhat see the trajectory of the bullet and barely dodge them. The room was not that lucky and Dino could see the walls were on the verge of collapse but he would be damned if he couldn’t kill the Gela Head before that happened. If not for him, at least for his Father and his Famiglia who he had to take care of now. Two bullets lodged on his leg and almost made him falter. He was getting tired, the heavy whip was getting heavier. The pain in his leg didn’t allow him to dodge on time and he saw how another bullet flew directly to his head.

For a second, everything slowed down; the bullet, the debris from their attacks, even the twisted expression of the Gela Head had frozen.

“ _It’s all good if you become strong Dino, but you also have to think for what reason you are becoming strong.”_

_“Why did you become strong, Iolanthe?”_

_“Hmm, maybe not strong but determined. The times I kept going even when I was at my lowest, I always thought: ‘one more, if I continue fighting, I can protect one more person’. It became my burden but it was one that I happily carried. So you have to be determined, Dino, determined to become stronger in order to protect.”_

That’s right. Dino had no reason before to get strong but now, now there were several reasons why he couldn’t fall down there. The members of the Cavallone Famiglia had just lost their Boss, wouldn’t it be devastating for those who had invested their lives for the Famiglia to lose him too? He had to fight. He had to dodge that bullet and continue fighting for his Famiglia.

For his Famiglia.

Orange Flames erupted from Dino’s forehead, the temperature in the room increased, the fatigue in his body disappeared and his hand flicked in a well-practiced way. The whip sizzled due to the high temperature of the Flames going through it, the metal deforming but able to cast the Reducto Curse mixed with his Sky Flames.

“Wha-!” The Gela Head had no time to exclaim when his bullet was disintegrated and the residue Flame hit his body which slowly but surely began to fall apart leaving a puddle of bloody goo on the floor. The sickening smell reached Dino’s nose and he quickly made his way out. It was fine if he had killed someone, but he wasn’t crazy enough to stare of what was left of the person.

He walked out of the room that collapsed when he was already on the stairs looking down at the battle that still raged on the main Hall of the Gela Headquarters. He was about to join them when suddenly the place was invaded by some sort of pressure. He could feel the danger in the air and he readied the destroyed whip in his hand to defend himself. From outside, fog started to enter the mansion and blurred figures were seen within that fog. The noises from the battle slowed down until they subsided as soon as they could see who were the ones that had arrived.

“Vindice!” Someone was able to cry out.

Dino focused on the figures even more. They look very bedraggled and somewhat reminded him of the Dementor in that Forest. Yet he was able to retain his wits since there was no feeling of doom as if there was no happiness in the world and waited to see what the Vindice were going to do.

“The Head of the Gela Famiglia is dead. An eye for an eye; the blood debt was paid. The Gela can choose to remain a Famiglia as soon as they find a Sky or to disband. You have one day.”

Just how the Vindice came, they left leaving a silent Hall.

“Boss!” A Cavallone Sun yelled gaining the attention of everybody. “Not good, Boss! Headquarters are under attack and they are barely resisting!”

Dino paled and immediately ordered while making his way out. “Clean up here, I’ll be going first. From today on, the Gela Famiglia doesn’t exist.”

“Yes, Boss!”

The Vindice gave options to the Gela Famiglia under the premise that Dino would let them off but since there were no plans of such possibility it was best to get rid of them. He hijacked a bike he found in the front yard of the mansion and drove it back to the Cavallone Headquarters. The half an hour trip was made in fifteen minutes and more than once he was followed by the police for speeding yet he had no time to explain the cops he needed to go save his Famiglia.

Not that he would actually say that anyway.

He could already hear the sounds of gunfighting and see the flashes of Flames in the air. His anxious heart made him accelerate. The streets in front of the mansion were destroyed, the entrance blown apart and many bodies littered the ground. Dino had no time to think about it and soon entered the fray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had just noticed that I made a mistake numbering the chapters in my Word document xD I had this chapter as 23 instead of 22... I really should stop writing after midnight.
> 
> On another note, I posted this chapter earlier because I want to take a rest for a couple of days. I will go back to writing on the weekend so your supply of chapters never ends :D


	23. Of graduation and meeting the Ottava

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dino's conclusion to his fight with the Gela Famiglia making him finally graduate and feel the headache of actually being a Mafia Boss.
> 
> Enzio is born!
> 
> Reborn meets the Ottava for an inescapable discussion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reborn mentioned that Dino got his whip and Enzio during a trial. I don't think it was actually mentioned under what circumstances the trial came to be but I gave you my own version :D
> 
> I am amazed that things you comment actually appear in the fic and don't think they are being added as soon as you mention them. I swear these chapters have been written weeks ago. I am in fact about to write about the Potter courting gift in chapter 31 (after I fixed the numbering) which is going to be released in a month if we keep up the schedule I set of two chapters a week. 
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading and enjoy :D

* * *

 

Reborn watched with mild concern the still sleeping Leon in his hands. Since the day before, from the moment Leon dropped his tail, he had problems with his shapeshifting abilities until falling asleep. Reborn was able to make out some of the words Leon had said before falling into that state. Danger. Change. Improvement. It was the first time something like this had happened but Reborn could connect the dots and deduced it was related to his stupid student. This was Dino’s first fight since Reborn started tutoring him; his first trial.

Reborn was not naïve to think nothing would happen to him because this was the Mafia, even if you didn’t die, you could end up maimed or half dead. Dino would be in danger in this raid, he could even end up dead; yet rules said that he was not to participate in grudges between Famiglias as a Vongola Hitman. That he was Dino’s tutor didn’t matter, Dino wasn’t his Sky, so there was no way he would intervene. Not that he needed one.

Reborn sighed. Now was not the time to think of her.

He didn’t know if this emergency came at a bad time or when he most needed it. He just hoped that Iolanthe believed his words and had not thought him a coward that had run away -even if he truly felt like a coward who had run away. The worst it could happen was her giving up on him leading to both dying by July next year. The best would be, another week of pranking. Hopefully

Sudden screams made him look down from the edge of the roof he was sitting at, waiting. Just as he thought; the Gela had already prepared to give the final strike to the Cavallone and with their Headquarters being attacked, then the Head pushed forward his own plan. The almost two thousand members of the Gela Famiglia was a sight to see. But to Reborn it was even more amusing to see them being strangled to death by the Devil’s Snare he had planted in the front yard.

He would have loved to bring the Whomping Willow if the thing was bigger. The Venomous Tentacula was in the process of seeping poison as it was time it flourished so he couldn’t bring it. Though if he was honest, he liked the Devil’s Snare even more. Iolanthe and Draco were experimenting with the thing and somehow made it even deadlier than before. He was sure it wasn’t the effect they wanted but they just left it like that, taking care that it was never left free from its pot.

Reborn didn’t know the reason but he immediately realized why when it grew to a humongous size the moment he planted it in free soil. In the dark of the night, it just looked like creepy bushes but he could still see some of its vines moving as if they were snakes. Hm, maybe he should have brought the Basilisk too but he had no confidence it would follow him without being able to speak with it. He wanted to see just how deadly the Creature really was but he would be damned if it got hurt and Iolanthe blamed him for it.

He had to conform with hearing bones cracking due to the force of constriction in those vines.

The vines recoiled a bit when Sun Flames attacked them, though they retaliated by whipping away the source of their discomfort. Sadly, there were too many people fighting the deadly plant and it was not much longer when it was obliterated. Good thing Reborn had warned the people left in Headquarters about the attack and were ready to face the Gela people.

However, it seemed the Gela were well prepared for this attack and the Cavallone were soon falling into a disadvantage.

Unfortunately, throughout the years the Cavallone Famiglia had been declining, the members were also quitting. Nobody would like to serve a Famiglia that had no future; that was probably the work of the Gela spies convincing many doubtful members to quit when they could still make a life in another Famiglia. Reborn had to applaud the plan the Gela Head had thought up seeing how the near thousand Cavallone members fell in number. If Dino didn’t hurry up on his side, then there would be no Famiglia for him to run.

Reborn’s lips twitched when he heard a motorcycle making its way towards the battlefield and that tiny spark of pride grew a bit more when the person on the bike jumped in the middle of the fight.

“Right on time, Dino.” He jumped down the roof to order the Suns to begin moving the wounded. There were no more than four hundred Cavallone members left so there was no more reason to let them continue fighting. Their Boss had come so it would be best to let Dino do the fighting.

His stupid student was already on Hyper Dying Will Mode when Reborn reached his side. Dino’s right leg was profusely bleeding leaving a bloody footprint on the ground. Seeing that, Reborn gently tapped his student’s leg so his Flames accelerated the healing in his wound for the fight that was to come.

“Your Boss is dead, stop fighting and I will let you off easily.” Dino said with as much authority as a Boss he could muster.

“Who will believe you, kid! It’s obvious you ran away and now you’re just bluffing! Step back before you get yourself killed.” A very strong looking Storm hollered making the rest of the Gela riot behind him.

“Go home, kid!”

“Go get your mama!”

“The Cavallone is done for!”

“Kill him!”

“I wouldn’t have let you off easily either way.” Dino quietly mumbled. He raised the destroyed whip in his hand but just before he could attack, it was snatched and swallowed by Leon who had just woken up. The Gela men seeing that started laughing.

“What is it boy? You pet got your weapon?”

“Even his pet knows he sucks so it is trying to stop him from fighting!”

“What a lame, kid.”

Yet before they could continue mocking Dino, Leon flew up and started radiating light easily illuminating the battlefield uncovering the many bloody patches on the ground being hidden under the darkness of the night. Mere second after that happened, Leon blew up and spat a new whip together with a turtle on Dino’s head.

“Ouch! It hurts!” The turtle was surprisingly hard and almost cracked Dino’s head. “What’s this?” He wondered picking up the turtle and examining it. It didn’t look any special apart from being able to crack heads open. He looked at Leon who was still missing his tail but it was obvious he wouldn’t get an answer so he left the turtle with Reborn and picked up the whip that was different from the one he had before.

It was lighter but he knew it was better than before. He gave it an experimental flick and a beam of light -different than any of the spells that had been inlaid in it- shot out leaving a hole in the head of many Gela men, dropping dead. A rancid smell of burnt innards and blood wafted out from them. Both the Gela members and Dino were surprised by the effect and it was a second later that the Gela men started their attack.

Dino alone faced the hundreds of men charging towards him. He couldn’t always make that same beam of light appear due to the barrage of attacks on him which made him dodge or defend against. His previous fatigue resurged and that made him slow down, leaving him only on the defense.

Reborn watched Dino fight with a critical eye; his stupid student was better than expected. He thought he was pants at fighting since he could barely hold out on even ground against Iolanthe. Much less when facing her and Reborn together. Maybe Reborn was a bit too optimistic making Dino face two monster fighters and somehow win but let it not be said that the pressure the both exerted on him didn’t make him progress even faster. Even though he was forced to defend against a myriad of attacks from dozens of people, Dino was far from being defeated.

The wriggling turtle in his hands made Reborn look at it. It looked very… excited seeing the battle and Reborn could swear the thing wanted to join but same as Dino he had no idea what this thing could do. Leon, guessing Reborn’s thoughts, transformed in a water gun and placed himself on Reborn’s hand. On his part, Reborn knew what to do and immediately splashed water on the turtle which began to grow making Reborn throw it to the few members of the Gela Famiglia who were planning to sneak out of the fight to enter the mansion.

What followed was a one-sided massacre from the turtle; beginning from the fact that it squashed seven people with its body alone and the rest were maimed by its jaws which bit off limbs everywhere.

Reborn had no idea Leon could give ‘birth’ to such a vicious creature but he suspected his Chameleon got inspired by all the deadly pets his Wife had in that basement. Leon had many times accompanied him when he went exploring that Forest, so he had seen what all those Creatures were capable of. The turtle was a great addition to the now weakened Cavallone Famiglia and could be used as deterrent for future fights.

Now the problem was…

His stupid student was having difficulties dealing with the rest of the members; he was already sporting several injuries but what surprised Reborn was that his Flames instead of dying down, were burning even brighter with each injury he received. It was basically a waste of Flames but it seemed to work seeing the Gela men doubting in attacking next. That gave Dino some respite as he was trembling and swaying, blood dripping from his wounds. If he didn’t finish the fight soon, then the one dying would be him. Now that Leon was fine, maybe Reborn could lend a little hand.

Yet before he could really do anything, Dino planted his feet, got into a stable pose, took a deep breath and flicked his whip. Light emerged from it which expanded to every direction where Gela members where in. To the untrained eye, it looked like that sole flick was the responsible of such an overpowered attack but to Reborn, the attack consisted of several flicks. One after the other in quick succession creating a dense net of attacks hard to dodge.

Reborn was impressed by the technique his student had come up with and an imperceptible smile perched on his lips when he could guess from where Dino had learned to do that.

It seemed Dino had finally discovered why Iolanthe could keep up with the fast attacks of a Flame user; it was something as simple as a chain of spells. Yet even if you knew what she was doing, it was difficult to break that chain and land a successful hit on her. AND even if you manage to hit, her pain tolerance is high enough that the attacks barely pause when you are under a barrage of spells once more. The reason it was hard to break was because you had to pay close attention to the spells she casts; they were not only attack spells but also those that changed things like the state of the floor or even make things appear out of nowhere. You never know what will come next.

It really was a chore to fight her; not only was she fast, she also had enough fighting experience and awareness to keep the spells flowing without them cancelling each other.

So, Stupid-Dino, thanks to the many times he was swept on the floor by Iolanthe could somehow emulate her attack style and make it work. At least the Gela members around him were either dead or severely injured that were not able to fight anymore.

Reborn didn’t have to remind the Cavallone men to dispose of the remaining enemies when they were already on the task. The Arcobaleno made his way towards Dino who maintained that final pose, immobile. From up close, Reborn could see that Dino had fainted from the blood loss, his right arm was dangling awkwardly beside his body, obviously dislocated. It seemed that he had overdone on his rather new and imperfect technique that his arm couldn’t take the random movements.

Either way, Reborn felt that Dino could finally be called a Mafia Boss… well, he just needed to make sure to resolve their financial situation and rebuild Headquarters but that should be left for when his student woke up.

And if Reborn wanted to see the despairing face of Stupid-Dino when he knows just how much more money he needed to rebuilt the parts of the mansion that were destroyed apart from the debt inherited from his Father, then who could blame him?

 

…

 

Days passed from the fight between the Gela Famiglia and the Cavallone Famiglia with the latter resulting victorious. The Italian Mafiosi were a bit shocked knowing that a medium sized Famiglia had disappeared overnight and that the Cavallone were in such a dire state that it would require years for it to get back to being the influential Cavallone from before. Many Famiglias couldn’t help feel a hint of respect for the young Cavallone Boss who had to shoulder that great responsibility and were looking forward to see how he would do it.

Of course, there were a few who wanted to take the opportunity to strike while they were still down and many assassination attempts were ordered, though none were successful. After many tries with no positive result, the attempts stopped. However, if the Heads of those Famiglias who wanted to kill the young Cavallone Boss knew they had failed because their assassins lost to a plant, then they would have spit blood in rage. As it was, neither Dino was aware that the corners of his room had several pots of Devil’s Snare safeguarding him.

Luckily, the thing went to sleep during the day so the Cavallone men also had no idea that their Boss had such a deadly plant in his bedroom. Consequently, they were still able to enter the room without being attacked by it.

“Reporting to the Boss!” A man exclaimed from the door frame.

“Come in, Romario.” Ordered Dino who was still resting on his bed. Actually, he should have already been able to go around doing his duties but it was this man, Romario, his Father’s confidante and now Dino’s right-hand man that had forced him to rest a couple of days more.

“This is the report of the damage on Headquarters, the report on the number of deaths from the recent raid, the report on the number and names of the members alive and the full report of the finances, as you asked.” Romario said in one breath putting page after page in front of Dino.

“Thank you.”

Reading the papers in his hands, Dino felt a headache starting to appear.

The damages to the main house were quite substantial but as a Mafia Famiglia, it was normal for them to stock on construction materials for these occasions so they had no reason to go buying more; what he planned to do was maybe change the layout to make it harder for enemies to invade the place, or something like that, he needed to talk about that with someone who knew about such topics. Now then, seeing the number of deaths made his headache increase. It was staggering and it was a relief that none of them had families to support, if there was, he would have to compensate for the loss.

With money he sincerely didn’t have.

He wasn’t surprised when he didn’t find Milano and Stefano in the list of members alive in the Famiglia, such is the nature of a broken bond that even the will to live dwindles a lot. With the actual number of people in the Cavallone, they could barely compare with a small-sized Famiglia and even more that they had a debt to pay and no businesses to depend on. So it was better if they had less members to sustain. Then he will think of a way to deal with that debt.

The finances report could be described in one word: red. All the numbers were in red betraying the fact that they truly didn’t have any money and Dino had no idea how he would pay everything they owned. Loans from the bank wouldn’t be approved, shark loans were too dangerous and he didn’t have the heart to ask the members of his Famiglia to take out their savings to pay the debt. As a Boss, it was his responsibility to provide for everybody.

All the houses had already been taken by the banks and put on auction and he had one year to completely pay off the debt from the main house so it wouldn’t be taken too. He needed at least 15 million euros to pay off that debt plus what was needed to keep sustaining the Famiglia. His headache was too much and he laid down on his bed thinking what he could do. If only he could ask Reborn what to do, but the Hitman had disappeared to who knows where and he had no idea when he would come back. If he would come back.

After all, Reborn had said that Dino had already graduated and didn’t need him anymore.

It wasn’t until weeks later that he received a letter from the Arcobaleno together with a stack of papers that almost made Dino cry if it weren’t for the final words from his terrifying tutor.

_‘You still have to pay Stupid-Dino.’_

…

 

 

Said terrifying tutor was enjoying tea with the Ottava in the Vongola Headquarters.

Now that his job as tutor had ended, Vongola Nono had called him for a mission in Romania that he had to resolve as soon as possible. But before that, he had promised the Ottava to meet her for tea. He had been there for almost half an hour and he was drinking his third cup yet the Ottava hadn’t said a word and it wasn’t that he was going to open his mouth; meeting with the Ottava was just an excuse for the aged woman to make you spill all your secrets or confirm some rumors she had heard. Reborn had an inkling as to why he was there but until she mentioned it, he would pretend nothing was going on.

The Ottava, Daniela Vongola, gently put her cup on the saucer and looked at Reborn with amusement and a hint of surprise. It seemed this time she had to speak first for the Sun Arcobaleno to loose his tongue. Well, she was more than sure that the information she got was accurate.

“So, how was it?” She asked tapping her cup.

“How was what?” _It’s here._ Reborn grew cautious but his expression remained the same.

“Tying the knot, how was it?” Her smile widened when she saw Reborn pause.

“You seriously think I will do that?” He asked instead, refilling his cup.

“A very trustful source told me you have a very beautiful Wife back in Britain, a Lady of some sort.” She daintily sipped her tea waiting for the reaction from the Hitman and he didn’t disappoint with the scowl on his baby face. She laughed.

“Shamal.” He grumbled. The only two who knew he had married was his stupid student and that perverted doctor. Since Dino had been with him all this time, it only left that annoying man as the person who would go to the Ottava with the gossip. (Because even if the Vindice knew, they would not gossip about it)

“So it’s true!” Daniela grew more delighted with the confirmation, indirect as it was, from Reborn. “Who would have known, the best Hitman from the Vongola, the ladies’ man and Sun Arcobaleno to marry and with a British woman! Come Reborn, tell this old woman how she is; how did the two of you marry?”

“Arranged,” he began helpless. He didn’t intend to keep it a secret from the Vongola anyway. “Some ancestor of mine met an ancestor of hers and they arranged it. I got the letter announcing our marriage and we married.”

“Wait, wait, how did they specifically named you two to get married?” She was having a field day with this tale. In all honesty an arranged marriage was the only way to make Reborn find a Wife and somewhat settle down. From the moment she met him years and years ago, when he was a proudful, egocentric Hitman, she knew no woman would be able to tie him down.

“Magic.” He teased but he didn’t expect her expression to turn solemn at the mention of Magic. Right, it seemed that he wasn’t the only one spilling the beans today.

“So she’s one of them.” Her eyes became distant and her Rain Guardian was already on her, patting her hand. “I’m ok.” She smiled at the old man.

“How do you know about them?” Reborn asked ignoring the interaction between Guardian and Sky.

Daniela filled her cup and tapped the rim thinking, “World War II, Italy had advanced towards France, we had won. I ventured to Paris because I heard there were Flame users there that were starting some sort of society or group much like our Mafia. I went there to recruit.”

Reborn smirked. Of course. “How did it go?”

“There was someone else doing the same.” She paused. “At first I left whoever that was alone. It wouldn’t have been the first time I had to compete with others in recruiting but after he tried to recruit my Lightning Guardian, I paid more attention; especially when my Guardian was told that the recruiter was no Flame user. What could a civilian want from a Mafioso?”

Reborn thought for a moment, he knew he had read about this situation. Not the recruitment but something in Magical History during World War II. Until it clicked. “Gellert Grindelwald.” He said with confidence. Daniela nodded.

“I sent my Lightning Guardian as a spy to know why this man was trying to recruit Flame users. From those reports I knew there was another hidden society, somewhat like ours, in this world. But they were dangerous, far more dangerous. Their ways were quick, a bit flashy but cruel to the point you could only hope for death. The last time my Guardian came to report what he had found I noticed,” she paused with gravity. “He was not mine anymore.”

The silence that descended was not oppressive, nor was it tense, it was the type that you just had to keep quiet to process the information or think what to say next. Reborn was mildly aware what Magicals could do if they used Dark Spells. He had seen one of the Unforgivable being used on Iolanthe; in those screams he felt the blood curling pain she was subjected to. He had seen the myriad of scars that adorned her body but was afraid to ask, to know how she came to those scars.

If Reborn wasn’t wrong, then the Ottava’s Lightning Guardian was tortured similarly or worse than Iolanthe.

“He was being controlled.” The aged lady whispered. Her fist tightened. To feel the bond clogged as if it was submerged in muddy or oily water was very uncomfortable to her but the fact that she had to kill her own Guardian because they had no way to make her Guardian react was… heartbreaking.

“One of the Unforgivable Curses.” Reborn informed her. “There is the Cruciatus Curse, it makes the person feel an indescribable pain. Then, there’s the killing curse, Avada Kedavra. Lastly, the Imperius Curse which allows one person to control another,” Iolanthe was very serious while telling him about those curses. “It makes you feel a floating sensation as if there are no worries, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness.” He trailed.

“Have you…?” Daniela softly asked. That the Hitman before her looked like a baby never made her forget that he was just a few years younger than her own son. So it wouldn’t be surprising if he had witnessed many things around the world in all those missions he was forced to by Timoteo to help him somewhat cope with the Arcobaleno Curse. She sighed relieved when he shook his head though sadness crept her heart when she heard his words.

“My Wife.”

Daniela had seen a downtrodden Reborn when he finally resigned himself to being an Arcobaleno; she could still see the rage, the hate and disgust in his eyes but more than anything there was profound loss and pity. Knowing him, she never imagined he would one day feel pity towards someone else; after all, if someone was worse than him then it alleviated his embittered heart. For him to show sympathy and understanding towards someone was a first and she was even more curious about who Reborn’s Wife was. She continued her story to make him focus in something else.

“After what happened in France, I sent special and very loyal members to investigate if Italy also had this society. Weeks later, I was informed of people disappearing and appearing out of nowhere in some spots in various places in Rome, same as houses emerging from some neighborhoods and then changing forms. At simple glance they looked like your everyday civilian, going to work, having families but if you paid attention, they have this power around them, within them that make all Flame Users wary. I am not sure if the ones in Britain are the same but the Italian ones are somewhat suspicious of outsiders. Though, we still managed to subscribe to their newspapers to be kept informed of their movements.”

Reborn nodded. He had asked Iolanthe to subscribe to all the Newspapers around the world instead of only the British ones. Throwing her name around helped in being sent the most famous informative magazines from the other communities every week. Iolanthe left him to his devices to do whatever he wanted with them while she kept to the ones she was interested in; which were not many, if he was honest. Sometimes she was very vexing in the way she treated information, but he was happy in doing that job for her.

So the both were happy with him reading about stuff and her listening to his analysis.

“For years we have tried to enter their covens, see where they go and what they do.” Daniela very pointedly looked at Reborn so he could start talking.

Reborn slowly tasted his tea making the old woman wait for what she wanted to hear. It was a little game he somewhat enjoyed. “Their communities are very simple, they have a hidden Ministry, a hidden shopping area, a hidden school, hidden hospital, and so on. Everything is hidden. They use special ways to achieve that, something called Wards. It is actually very hard to find all those places if you don’t have one of the Magicks but it seems us Flame users are able to see those places as long as we know what’s in there. Their houses is a bit of a come and go thing since each Family has their own set of Wards but general places have the common Notice-me-Not and Non-Magicals-repellent Wards.”

“You don’t seem to have wasted your time with your Wife.” She smiled wickedly, making a very subtle jab that there wasn’t much else he could do with besides talking.

“There are many things to know about them. It’s not simple Mist work, shady Mafia and special weaponry like ours; it is really so much more.”

They paused in their conversation. Daniela very much wanted to see it all but she knew she would not live much longer so it was not necessary for her to go around the place knowing what these covens have; instead, he will have Reborn tell everything about this to her son and see what he would do with the information.

“So, what’s your Wife’s name?” She asked resuming their conversation.

“Iolanthe Potter.” He informed and startled when she started to laugh. It said something about him when he didn’t bristle anymore hearing a woman laugh at what he said; Iolanthe had made sure to laugh every time he said or did something… silly, in her words. Most of it began when he started learning about the subjects taught to students. So, he merely waited for the Ottava to stop laughing to explain.

But she just said, “Bring the French paper from three days ago.” And waited.

Reborn felt a bit of dread and anticipation but for the most part he felt he didn’t want to know whatever he was about to discover. And he was right when the Ottava’s Rain Guardian came back with a Newspaper and gave it to him just to be flashed by the front page that read: Magical Trocadero thanks to Lady Potter, and then the subtitle: Savior of the British Community makes an spectacle in front of the iconic Eiffel Tower.

Reborn wanted to groan, wanted to curse, wanted to laugh, wanted to facepalm yet he could only stare at the moving picture of Iolanthe together with Luna, female Draco and Astoria having fun near a fountain with the Eiffel Tower as her background. They were very much drunk, he could see it and the article also confirmed it yet he couldn’t begrudge her this moment; not when she looked so happy, so much her age. He liked it. He liked seeing her smile. Despite guessing that the reason she was in France and in that state was because of him, a smile perched on his face.

Daniela Vongola watched with interest the minuscule changes in the Sun Arcobaleno’s face until he settled into a peaceful smile. She knew that their Hitman was completely ignorant as to what he showed on his face and she really wanted to see that time when either him or his Wife noticed. That would be such a delightful conversation. She internally cackled just thinking about how seductive Reborn, who used to have many women at his feet, would suddenly confess to his Wife. She wanted to ask if he had done it already.

Just then a man that was in charge of Logistics in the Vongola mansion rushed into the room interrupting the two inside.

Panting, the man informed, “Enrico was killed in a gunfight a moment ago.”

The man expected some words, actions, something from the Ottava but she just quickly dismissed him and sat pensive looking at nothing in particular. After what seemed like hours, she finally spoke. “It has begun.”

“What did you expect after spreading the rumors of dissension yourself?” Reborn asked a bit curious and with a hint of mockery in his voice watching her from the corner of his eye but still focused on the article in front of him.

“I expected my idiot son to finally decide the Decimo but it seems he still has other plans.” She sighed. She truly was too old now. “No matter, what’s done has been done. It all rests in the shoulders of Massimo and Federico to survive if they can.” She loved her grandsons but she also was a staunch believer that difficulties shaped a good Mafioso. If they couldn’t overcome these turbulent times, then they truly weren’t candidates for Decimo. She only hoped that Timoteo knew what he was doing. She sighed again. “Bring your Wife to meet me.” She ordered and then gestured for her Rain Guardian to push her out of the room leaving Reborn alone who didn’t care if she left or not paying more and more attention to the article in the Newspaper.

His Wife is truly too cute. He smirked and secretly saved the picture in one of his pockets to then leave. He had a mission to do anyway, better do it soon and be on time for the ritual.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read somewhere, most likely the Wiki, that Reborn kind of liked Tsuna more than Dino. I have been thinking why and the possible reason I could come up with was because Tsuna would be the Vongola Decimo and Reborn is part of the Vongola. So, in a way, he has to know more about the future Boss of the Famiglia he is part of. Dino, as Cavallone, even if part of the Vongola Alliance, doesn't have much of a connection with him besides being his tutor so I don't think it's strange if Reborn tells Dino he graduated already.
> 
> In the manga, Dino said that Reborn stopped tutoring him because he went to tutor Tsuna. Now, this might be confusing but I believe that after Dino became Boss, there truly wasn't much Reborn could teach him anymore as that is something Dino would have to experience for himself. Reborn could still make surprise visits tho... *insert evil laugh* 
> 
> Next chapter: We see what Iolanthe did in Paris...


	24. I'm having such a good time!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What Iolanthe and company did in Paris? They got drunk and sung.
> 
> Luna attacks again with her cryptic actions until things are explained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This author has never ever gotten drunk so I don't know how it feels to be drunk. Still I tried to portrayed one of the usual scenaries of what people do after they drink.  
> We all remember fondly how Harry sucks at dancing, Iolanthe is the same but she surprisingly has other talents. 
> 
> I read comments that Reborn was a freelancer or independant Hitman. He might be, I'm not sure since the manga doesn't explain many things concretely and we have to guess. The only reason I made him part of Vongola, officially, was because he knew too many Vongola secrets to be just any other free Hitman and his loyalty to Nono doesn't look fake. I think he truly was angry during the Varia Arc when they found out Nono was inside Gola Mosca. 
> 
> But that's ok, anyone can interpret things differently. There will be things I will keep from the manga but they will also change to accommodate our lovely Iolanthe. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter today!
> 
> AND none of the lyrics of the songs are mine! They belong to the respective people, I just used them because I really love music and wanted to use it here. There is my disclaimer :D If you don't know the songs, look them up, they are from Queen, Under Preassure and Don't stop me now!

* * *

 

Four very drunk people sat on the stairs near the Fountain of Warsaw in the famous Trocadero Gardens which faced the worldly renown Eiffel Tower. They went to the presentation of the new Winter Collection from the famous Mode House in France, of course the one ran by Magicals. It was fun seeing all those designs and Iolanthe had already asked for some of them to be gifted to the people she knew. As Christmas gifts most likely.

The friends who accompanied her would receive the designs they liked the most and then Draco helped her choose for the Weasleys, Hermione, Andromeda, her Godson, Neville, Parvati who helped her and many other people, there were even some picked for the Malfoys. She didn’t miss the trembling hands from Draco when she said she would send his parents a gift too but decided not to comment about it. Even if she hadn’t sent them anything these couple of years didn’t mean that she couldn’t begin doing it now. It was appropriate seeing how their son had been a great support for her.

After business was done, pleasure came, most when alcohol was involved. Many people when they heard that Iolanthe Potter had visited Paris, wanted to make her acquaintance so they arrived to the party organized after the event to struck up random conversation. As toasts were made, blurred, messy conversations in French and English happened which lead to more drinking. After drinking for more than an hour, they very sensibly and in an uncoordinated way made it out of the party.

But all thoughts of going back to the Black house in the suburbs of Paris disappeared when Luna wobbly walked towards the Trocadero Gardens claiming she had to see the famous fountain. In their hazy minds, neither Iolanthe nor Draco nor Astoria thought they would be able to see it this late at night and on such cold weather but still decided to follow her. So that is how they arrived to the place and sat on the stairs near a sculpture of a naked man. In their drunkenness they didn’t even care and just sat there, looking at nothing since the fountain was not working. The Tower was lit but it was a bit cold and windy for the fountain to work. There weren’t many people out there either.

“So, Luna, what are we actually doing here?” Iolanthe slurred and sighed rubbing her hands on her arms. She envied Draco and Astoria who unabashedly were hugging each other to stave off the cold.

“Waiting for the fountain.” The dreamy witch answered with a wispy voice as if she was about to fall asleep.

“Uh…” Iolanthe was stumped for words. It was very much obvious that they were waiting in vain.

“We are cold and drunk Lovegood, we should be in bed or at least trying to go back to the house.” Draco nagged.

“Maybe we should lively up the place for them to work.” Luna said ignoring Draco’s words who huffed and gave up. Sober Luna was already hard to deal with, now drunk, it’s better to just go along with her stuff. They all reached the same conclusion and followed behind her. Luckily, the cold air kept them awake even if their brains were not functioning at their best. While walking they heard Luna humming; at first it was random humming but then she began humming an actual song.

That reminded Iolanthe and Draco of their times of studying. When they were tired and not wanting to see another book in their lives it was always Luna that cheered them up with her songs; it got to the point that they bought a radio and always turned it on during their sessions. It was until Luna and Iolanthe started their trips around the world that the radio was forgotten, they hadn’t even paid attention to it during the recent research sessions. Iolanthe thought it was a pity and blamed it on having too many things in her mind. Either way, they were all too happy to indulge in drunk singing for a bit.

“ _Mmm num ba de. Dum bum ba be. Doo buh dum ba beh beh._ ” Luna began.

Iolanthe had learned from Hermione and investigated on how to make electronics work with Magic. Generally, you could only hear static if a Magical adult got near an electronic device, like radios or TV’s but knowing a bit on how those devices worked and a tweak or two involving runes and charms, then you had a functioning radio or TV. Iolanthe hadn’t tried to buy a TV because that seemed more complicated than making a radio function and sincerely nobody in the house was that enthused to have one. Maybe that would be left for later.

But a radio was different. It was simpler and they liked it better; it wasn’t as distracting as a TV. So it wasn’t strange for the three of them -four if you count how Astoria joined them for barely one month in their studying session before she was sent to Hogwarts for her sixth year- to know a variety of songs.

“ _Mmm num ba de. Dum bum ba be. Doo buh dum ba beh beh._ ” They all joined. Queen was a favorite of every British citizen. Support your own talent and all that.

“ _Pressure!_ ” And sincerely they were too drunk to care if anybody paid them any attention of their singing and did it very loudly. “ _Pushing down on me. Pressing down on you, no man ask for. Under pressure!_ ”

“ _That burns a building down. Splits a family in two. Puts people on streets.”_ Iolanthe soulfully continued with the song. They had learned many of the group’s songs that they had even given a part to each of them.

 _“Um ba ba be. Um ba ba be. De day da. Ee day da! That’s okay.”_ By the time they kept singing their parts together, people had started to notice them. Some passer-byes were just walking back to their homes and others were sitting, enjoying the view of the Eiffel Tower. It wasn’t the first time there were people singing there but it was rare for foreigners to do it. So they quickly grabbed the locals’ attention.

“ _It's the terror of knowing what this world is about. Watching some good friends screaming.”_ It was really funny hearing Draco sing his part very manly but with a female body and the three women almost missed their part due to laughing.

_"Let me out!"_

“ _Pray tomorrow gets me higher_.” At first, Astoria was reluctant to join their madness but Draco somehow convinced her to it. Now she saw it as sharing good times with her fiancé. It was better when he joined her in their short following duet. “ _Pressure on people, people on streets._ ”

Then came the Iolanthe-Luna duet. What Luna really liked about the song were the random sounds so most of them were her part.

_“Day day de mm hm. Da da da ba ba. Okay.”_

_“Chipping around, kick my brains around the floor. These are the days it never rains but it pours.”_ The other three always marveled at Iolanthe’s voice. She was atrocious at dancing but she did very well at singing.

_“Ee do ba be. Ee da ba ba ba. Um bo bo. Be lap.”_

_“People on streets!”_

They already had an audience that was enjoying their little performance. French people were very reactive to this type of stuff and instead of mocking people they just cheered them on.

_“Ee da de da de.”_

_“People on streets!”_ Some in the audience who knew a bit of English and knew the song joined them on simple parts.

_“Ee da de da de da de da.”_

_“It's the terror of knowing what this world is about. Watching some good friends screaming.”_ Draco with alcohol in the system was somewhat more loose so he threw decorum away and sang with all his might. If his parents knew, they would have already scolded him for it.

 _“Let me out!”_ The girls and people in the audience yelled.

 _“Pray tomorrow gets me higher, higher.”_ Astoria joined her fiancé in sending decorum to hell. _“Pressure on people, people on streets.”_ And even lovingly held his hand.

Iolanthe ignored the mushy couple and quietly continued with her part snapping her fingers, _“Turned away from it all like a blind man. Sat on a fence but it don't work.”_ Luna joining her for the next part.

_“Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn.”_

_“Why, why, why?!”_

The audience enjoying the show screamed frenetically and clapped not only for Iolanthe’s high note but because at that moment, all the cannons in the fountain gushed water out of the blue giving the performance even more brilliance and many started to suspect that it was all planned. They just didn’t know who the youths in front of them were.

 _“Love!”_ The word echoed by the four made the water lower though not stopping pouring out. But then the lights and water started to flicker as if waiting for the climax of the song.

Draco and Astoria were also surprised by the fountain starting to work. Deep in their minds Luna’s words sounded but they dispelled the thought because it was Luna and because they were sure it was their Magic doing the trick. So they just continued with their duet part. _“Insanity laughs under pressure we're breaking.”_

Luna ditched Iolanthe in their part paying more attention to controlling the water cannons in the fountain. _“Can't we give ourselves one more chance? Why can't we give love that one more chance? Why can't we give love, give love, give love….?”_

 _“'Cause love's such an old fashioned word,”_ Draco began the last part of the song with water slowly but surely raising. When Astoria joined, the lights were flickering and the water kept rising. _“And love dares you to care for the people on the,”_ Luna gave up on the fountain which was doing its job and sang together with the other two. _“Edge of the night. And love dares you to change our way of,”_ to finally have Iolanthe join in a quartet with the fountain powerfully gushing water. _“Caring about ourselves. This is our last dance. This is our last dance. This is ourselves.”_

 _“Under pressure. Under pressure. Pressure.”_ In an inverted order as how they joined, they finished the song with Draco’s low voice.

The people who witnessed such a Magical performance clapped and screamed asking for another song. It wasn’t everyday that they get to see such a spectacle. Some had even ran for the closest public telephone to call for their friends to gather at Trocadero Gardens. Though the Muggle part of Paris wasn’t the only one that took notice of this show. Soon Aurors appeared on the place due to the indiscriminate usage of Magic in front of Muggles or Sansies as the French called those without Magic. ‘Sans Magique’.

By the time they appeared, the four friends had already started singing their next song so they couldn’t stop them to accuse them of breaking the Statute of Secrecy. The audience was clearly enjoying the show and hearing their comments, they thought it was a planned performance and not some act of Magic. Only then the Aurors waited until the song ended to talk to the culprits. Though they almost fell all over themselves when they saw who they were about to arrest.

Iolanthe didn’t wait for the other three to think what to sing when she began. “ _Tonight, I'm gonna have myself a real good time. I feel alive and the world I'll turn it inside out, yeah. And floating around in ecstasy. So…”_ She looked at the other three who didn’t need to be told to join her for the next lines. _“don't stop me now, don't stop me. 'Cause I'm having a good time, having a good time.”_

The fountain kept doing its job in constantly shooting water at intervals and according to their singing.

Then Luna stepped up wearing a furry coat she took out of nowhere. _“I'm a shooting star, leaping through the sky. Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity. I'm a racing car, passing by like Lady Godiva.”_ She even did a little sexy dance that made more than one man whistle in appreciation. _“I'm gonna go, go, go. There's no stopping me.”_

 _“I'm burnin' through the sky, yeah.”_ Draco singing his lines were still very funny to witness in his voluptuous body. _“Two hundred degrees. That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit, I'm traveling at the speed of light.“_ Of course he didn’t expect Astoria to steal his line by putting her hand on his mouth.

 _“I wanna make a supersonic man out of you!”_ To then steal a kiss from him exciting the crowd even more.

Iolanthe and Luna ignored the stunned Draco and helped Astoria with the next lines. _“Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time. I'm having a ball. Don't stop me now. If you wanna have a good time, just give me a call.”_ Some of the people who had arrived after being called by their friends started even throwing slips of paper with their phone numbers on it. Mostly men and the sporadic woman. _“Don't stop me now. 'cause I'm having a good time. Don't stop me now. Yes, I'm havin' a good time. I don't want to stop at all.”_

 _“Yeah, I'm a rocket ship on my way to Mars. On a collision course. I am a satellite, I'm out of control.”_ Iolanthe’s only problem when drunk was that she was really too out of control. Her hairdo was undone by her, the coat was thrown away showing the white long sleeve, lace dress which was really short and with a very pronounced cleavage. It looked very pretty but certainly not for everybody to see. Luna and Astoria jolted in their drunken stupor and hurried to get her coat to cover her. After all, only Lord Potter had the right to see her like that. _“I am a sex machine, ready to reload. Like an atom bomb about to  
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh explode!”_

The fireworks that Iolanthe suddenly released with her Magic together with the well-timed shoot of the water cannons let the other girls put Iolanthe’s coat back while the audience was busy watching the pyrotechnic show. They were truly lucky since the Media, Magical and Muggle, had started to arrive at the place; if not Iolanthe would have made the first page talking about her lack of decency what with her status as a new Bride. The stuck up Purebloods back in Britain would have surely drowned her in spit.

Draco also woke up from his stupor and ran towards the girls grabbing Astoria to get the attention of the audience and make them forget about Iolanthe’s blunder.

 _“I'm burnin' through the sky, yeah. Two hundred degrees. That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit. I'm traveling at the speed of light. I wanna make a supersonic woman of you!”_ He even spun her around to take revenge and planted a kiss on her. The crowd’s attention was successfully diverted by them. And the four joined together to continue singing.

_“Don't stop me, don't stop me. Don't stop me, hey, hey, hey. Don't stop me, don't stop me. Ooh ooh ooh, I like it. Don't stop me, don't stop me. Have a good time, good time. Don't stop me, don't stop me, ah!”_

The Aurors were cold sweating at the usage of Magic but the constant comments in the audience that this was a magnificent show and that the effects were amazing kept them a bit relaxed. They didn’t want to lose their jobs by being unable to stop the law-breakers. Meanwhile, the Media was having a field day with the performance. The reporters from the Magical Newspapers were even stealthily taking pictures from every angle thanks to broomsticks and a ton of Notice-me-Not Charms.

Just when they were planning on keep singing, out of nowhere, a man started playing an electric guitar. Everybody turned to look at the man who actually didn’t look so well with a ragged mantle on his body. The guy looked very rock star with the Mohawk and the fashionable sunglasses if he wasn’t actually an old man. Though all that was dismissed since the old man was giving an impressive solo guitar earning the love of the audience.

Certainly nobody noticed that his guitar wasn’t even plugged to any power source to really function. What the four friends did notice was that Draco was starting to change from a woman’s body to his original one. If people were to see him transform, then they would surely break the Statute of Secrecy. Astoria was quick-witted and borrowing the audience idea that this was planned and all, she pulled out colorful sheets from her purse and wrapped them around Draco.

Iolanthe and Luna heard the crowd keep asking what their next trick was and that settled them to help Astoria to wrap Draco while he kept singing as soon as the solo guitar was over.

_“Oh, I'm burnin' through the sky, yeah. Two hundred degrees. That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit. I'm traveling at the speed of light”_

Done with their wrapping, the three girls pulled the sheets and revealed the now man Draco. _“I wanna make a supersonic man out of you!”_ None in the audience thought it was weird for a woman to morph into a guy and then just guessed that Draco was a man from the beginning and had just dressed as a woman for the performance. They all praised the well-thought show and the questions about who they really were kept sounding in the crowd.

Having averted the crisis, the four managed to finish their song in a happy tune. _“Don't stop me now, I'm having such a good time. I'm having a ball. Don't stop me now. If you wanna have a good time. Just give me a call. Don't stop me now. 'Cause I'm having a good time, yeah, yeah. Don't stop me now. Yes, I'm havin' a good time. I don't want to stop at all.”_

The Aurors finally had the chance to approach Lady Potter and friends to take them away but their plans were thwarted when the reporters pushed them away to go interview the quartet. Laws be damned, they wanted a nice scoop. At the end, the Muggle Media could only discover that they were friends who had been travelling around France and wanted to give an especial performance to the French people before an iconic monument like the Eiffel Tower on their last day in Paris. Or at least that’s the lie Draco was able to spin around for them. Even drunk, he was able to give the best excuse to come out safe from any scandal.

The Magic Media was not that fooled and waited for the Sansies and Muggle Media to leave with the help of the dejected Aurors who could only do that since it was obvious they weren’t going to be able to apprehend the four. Only then, they began with their interview.

“Lady Potter, what’s the reason you are here in Paris?” A young woman who did her best speaking English began asking.

“Uh, well, we went to the Fashion Show for the new Winter Collection, then we attended the afterparty, drank just a tiny little bit and came here.” She replied a bit winded from the singing and slurring some of her words. The reporters good naturedly laughed at the ‘drank just a tiny little bit’ when they heard how she was talking.

“You brought your friends to enjoy the long awaited Fashion Show,” another woman who was also into fashion asked next. “But what about Lord Potter?” Murmurs of assent spread among the reporters.

“He’s away working and he told her to have a bit of fun. They are preparing to go on their honeymoon so he has to take care of some business first to then give his devoted attention to her.” Astoria interjected. As Iolanthe’s half-counselor, she had to give her a way out. They couldn’t just tell everybody that Lord Potter had run away after being confessed by his Wife, after all, their story was one full of love that even made it to Witch Weekly back in Britain. Iolanthe gave Astoria a grateful smile for that.

“You have just broken the Statute of Secrecy, what are you going to do about that?” A reporter, a man, teasingly asked.

Laws in France were not lax but there was always a way for people to give their account on the occurrence. If the instance didn’t really make the Sansies discover about their society and could be attributed to acts of common Sansie Magic, then the person most likely would get a fine after the investigation. Of course, the person would get monitored for a period of time to check if it really was a one-time thing. It looked like what Lady Potter and friends did would end up with just a fine, a hefty fine.

Iolanthe chuckled. “We are at the mercy of French law, whatever happens then so be it.” Her resolute words surprised more than one of the reporters and pleased the Aurors for her consideration.

Needless to be said, all the articles the next morning talked about what they had done in Trocadero Gardens, another sub article had the mini interview, the fashion part of the papers and even some magazines talked about Lady Potter and company attending the Fashion Show and there were even pictures of them in the after party which actually helped them with the investigation the Aurors did after they were sent to jail to wait for the verdict.

Some very serious articles about laws analyzed the case of the four breaking the Statute of Secrecy without the Sansies actually even knowing about it. It had to be said that all they did during their little show was enough to be sent to prison if they had been in another country but seeing as they hadn’t harmed anybody and instead gave their people an amazing night, then their offense wasn’t big in French soil.

In the Muggle world, the show made it in a small article but several pictures were included. Even the kiss between Draco and Astoria when Draco was still a woman created a furor and a trend of same-sex couples taking pictures of themselves kissing with the Eiffel Tower as background. But that, the four didn’t notice until much, much later.

After spending three days in jail, the four came out clean except for a warning from the Laws Department and a fine that Iolanthe readily paid -after all, it was because of her and her mood that they got into that mess. They were even escorted back to their house by Aurors to prevent them from doing something else and left when they were assured over and over that they were leaving that day back to Britain. Laws in France were a bit more relaxed but the Aurors nagged more than in Britain.

“I can’t believe what we did.” Draco dazedly said for the tenth time while packing.

“Well, it happened, we sang, we had fun and we went to jail because of it.” Iolanthe replied checking that all the clothes she had bought from that Collection were there. The delivery system was very innovative; instead of killing an owl with the huge package, they used a one-way Portkey to deliver your things in your house. The way they handled the information was very confidential too, so Iolanthe didn’t mind giving the address of the house. The house had nothing of value in it and she wasn’t going to use it often anyway, so no harm there; even if Draco disapproved.  

“Nothing like that would have happened if we had come back to the house and sleep off the drunkenness and hangover. The coffee they gave us in the Auror Station was too soft.” Draco continued to grumbled.

“Have you thought that maybe they did it as punishment? Or maybe for the laughs seeing us that miserable.” Astoria added putting her last garment in the suitcase she brought.

“That’s not ethical. Though, they were at least more humane than the things they do in the Ministry cells in Britain.” The three women paused in their movements giving thought to the fact that Draco had spent a good time in those cells. Iolanthe even shivered remembering the time when she had to escape from the courtroom in Level Ten where Dementors were roaming around.

“This… at least the new Minister is trying to change how things are done.”

“Trying is the keyword, Iolanthe.” Draco huffed then turned pensive. “You know as well as I do that the Lords and Ladies are the ones in power and if they don’t approve a change in the laws then their backwards ways will remain. It’s frustrating to know that the community in your own country hasn’t progressed in the last hundred years while the others are adjusting to the new times.”

“The only progress we made was in the Late Amelia Bones, the first person in the Wizengamot that wasn’t corrupted.” Astoria said, the others nodded. Amelia Bones was an exemplary woman, too bad she died in the war. “I think, I think we can change it.”

“Change what? The British Community?” Iolanthe laughed incredulous. Those people wouldn’t want change even if it slapped them in the face.

“We can change it.” Luna said with rare serenity and full conviction. “We will help you change it, Iolanthe.”

“What?”

“Isn’t it your task?” The times Iolanthe had been under the omniscient eyes of Luna could be counted in one hand but she still felt small being gazed by them.

“How did you know?”

Draco and Astoria looked from one witch to the other not really understanding the exchange between them. Luna didn’t answer. She didn’t have to and Iolanthe knew it so she just sighed heavily sitting on an armchair and gestured for the others to take a seat too. After preparing a round of tea, she began explaining her task. The Peverell task.

She told them about how she died and met Death. How the Ancient being gave her the task that had been passed on from one Peverell to another. Then, she explained what the task actually entailed, how Magic wasn’t the same and that Mother Magic herself was grieving due to the misconceptions, the fear and the depravity Wizards and Witches made of Magic and that it needed to be changed or soon Magicals will self-destruct with the way they were living.

Iolanthe took a guess saying that Muggleborns were Mother Magic’s last attempt to fix the narrow-mindedness Wizards were encasing themselves in but it didn’t help much at the end.

What could have been a new world thanks to the new blood and new ideas from the creative Muggleborns who hailed from the more progressive Muggle world was a total disaster when Magicals rejected them and Muggleborns changed the Wizarding World to a parody of Muggle tales about magic and that instead of changing it for the better, they just created more discrimination towards Mother Magic’s creations. Neither side had the mind to teach other, to learn from each other and an era of bigotry started.

The task was easy when it was first given but after hundreds of years of molding and adjustments, it was now some sort impossible mission. How could you actually change the views of thousands upon thousands of Wizards and Witches? Iolanthe died saving a Community which was now throwing her under the bus; how could she make them see that they needed a change? The four stayed silent after she was done talking, pondering about what they were told.

“You have already started, Iolanthe.” Astoria finally voiced breaking the silence gaining the attention of the other three. “Hogwarts. Your generation. The D.A. You have already started changing the minds of people and there are people who would readily listen to you and support you. Luna is right, you can’t do this alone, you never have to do things alone. How I see it, you are just the starting rock, it is us who have to keep building the future. I don’t want to see from the side how you help the Community in a thankless task, I want to be part of it! So let me help you with it, I will do my best!”

Never before have Iolanthe, Luna or even Draco seen an impassioned Astoria. It was very… refreshing, knowing that she was raised to be a demure little lady who would be an ornament in her Husband’s house but now she was spouting words as if she was starting a revolution. Though if they thought it well, that’s what they were aiming to do, a revolution. Excitement filled their hearts at being in the move again. They didn’t want to admit it but after war, fighting for their lives or being heroes, they were craving for something as thrilling though less dangerous.

And changing the Wizarding Community was enough to incite that spark of adventure and youthfulness.

However, their rising emotions were healthily doused with cold water when there was a knock at the door. This… Iolanthe thought that since she met Reborn more and more people were using the doors.

“Oh!” Luna jumped all of a sudden. “It’s here!” She ran to the door under the baffled gazes of her friends. They shrugged and waited for her to return with whatever she was expecting to arrive. Still, they never thought that it was not a what but a who that arrived.

With a laugh, an old man entered the room where the rest were sat at. “I thought I would miss you, younglings! It seems I am still on time.” The old man confidently stepped in and sat at one of the armchairs readily serving himself a cup of tea.

“You… aren’t you the old man with the guitar?” Iolanthe dubiously asked. That’s right, the old man who had just arrived was the same bedraggled old man who played the guitar with them during their second song in Trocadero Gardens. He still used the ragged mantle on his body and the mohawk they thought he had was just a clump of spiky hair. He looked very old and ready to keel it that neither had the heart to start interrogating him about how he had found the house. The fact that Luna was actually waiting for him helped a lot.

“I am! I am!” He happily replied. “It’s been years since I had so much fun. Youngsters these days are truly impressive.” He drank his tea in a gulp and went for a second cup.

Something clicked in Draco’s mind and his eyes widened in surprise. “This is the reason why we were at Trocadero making a joke out of ourselves?!” He asked Luna in disbelief. Luna just beamed at him.

“Now, now, don’t be rude to the little lady. To tell you the truth I had already seen you, so I was waiting for you to appear there.” The old man dismissively replied.

“Why were you waiting for us?” Iolanthe asked. She was already on guard not really trusting the old man after those words.

“Huh? Ah, well, I guess an explanation is in order. I am an old friend of Nicolas Flamel and after he died, he left me some of his nifty little stuff like the Divination Crystal Ball. It shows a bit of the future or things happening at the moment but in different places that can change the course of history. Or so Flamel explained. I seriously don’t understand much about what you Magicals do. Long story short, I came because of you Iolanthe Potter.”

Iolanthe, Draco and Astoria already had their wands in their hands ready to face whoever this was, the only one calm enough to keep eating pastries and drinking tea was Luna.

“Who are you?” Iolanthe inquired with a serious tone, one that demanded answers if not, she wouldn’t hold back.

“Oh, where are my manners, really, hundreds of years living and I still get carried on by the excitement.” The old man looked very nonchalant as if three people weren’t ready to attack him. “You may call me Talbot.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way! I read from someone... (really sorry my dear but I am horrible at remembering names) that I made mistakes in spelling, grammar or sentences don't make sense.   
> PLEASE, continue to do so! I am not a native English speaker and writing in English helps me a lot with the language, since I'm still learning. I would really appreciate if you tell me about where I make mistakes and such, I promise I don't get angry or anything :D


	25. Their first trip together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn goes back home after his mission and a short talk with Nono.
> 
> The final product of the Ritual they are going to perform for the Arcobaleno Curse is shown.
> 
> Something is bothering Iolanthe and in her pursuit of answers, she makes Reborn accompany her to one of her trips. Meanwhile, Reborn finally gets acquainted with the Ministry of Magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You are expecting the conversation with Talbot? Hehe, nope, you are not getting that... It still will be mentioned next chapter though! 
> 
> Sometimes, in my opinion, a bit of distance helps in a relationship and more in Iolanthe and Reborn's. I mean, he could see how wonderful she is and she had already fallen in love with him. Conflicts do occur and those are the ones that are helping this relationship, to be honest, because their marriage was thrown into their faces so suddenly that there are many things they haven't talked yet and as I have underlined many times, they are learning. Once they solve this problem, another will come. 
> 
> So please, don't go hating my Reborn for being a bit insensible and Iolanthe for acting like a pushover. They are not perfect and will never be. At least rejoice that Reborn is changing his opinion about Iolanthe even if he himself doesn't realize it.

* * *

 

“Thanks for your cooperation!” Said Reborn after coming to an agreement with a weapons dealer in Romania.

Of course, after blowing up their whole mansion and killing half their people, the Head finally had the heart to talk with him. Luckily for them, Reborn was in a good mood for this mission so only half their people died. What the Hitman didn’t understand was why Nono wanted to make a deal with this Romanian Famiglia to provide with weapons when the ones manufactured in Italy were more than enough. He guessed it was because of the recent dissension rumors that he is coming up with backup plans and the best Hitman was sent to avoid being suspicious or discovered.

Many Famiglias had vowed loyalty but who knows how many were actually sincere with their words.

So with an agreement in hand, Reborn returned to Vongola Headquarters in Sicilia. There were days to spare before October 31st but he was already impatient to go back to England; he had to give an explanation to Iolanthe for his sudden disappearance and hope for the best. He sighed, who said having a Wife was all happiness and laughing.

In no time, he had arrived before the door of Nono’s office and without knocking, he entered.

 

…

 

Timoteo Vongola, Vongola Nono, sat behind his magnificent desk attentively reading a report he had received from his informant in Romania. It seemed Reborn had successfully completed his mission. The Hitman was more efficient than in recent times but he had become a bit careless since he hadn’t noticed someone had been following him during the whole process. Finished reading the report, he tapped the arm of his chair and thought.

His Mother had told him everything about Reborn’s marriage, who he was married to and more importantly, what she was. Nono sincerely didn’t care that their Hitman had married, the man had to settled at some point in his life, he guessed; what he didn’t like was that he married to an outsider. Contract or not. Threat of death or not. The Mafia was very sensitive when outsiders knew of their World. Reborn knew it yet he still went ahead and married. Nono didn’t know what the Arcobaleno was thinking and if he wasn’t sure that Reborn was loyal to the Vongola then maybe he would have already gotten rid of him.

Timoteo sighed and rubbed his brows. The constant pressure of the other Famiglias together with Enrico’s recent death had stressed him out and was even contemplating getting rid of their best Hitman; this shouldn’t go on. Maybe… his train of thought was interrupted by the door opening and in came the focus of his many thoughts. The toddler walked in with confidence, as always, his movements were very efficient, minimalistic to the very end belying the fact that at the mere threatening action in his surroundings he would be ready to attack.

But Nono was able to detect a trace of impatience in his gait as if he couldn’t wait to be done with his job and be somewhere else. The Vongola Boss didn’t need to be a genius to know the reason why his Hitman acted like that. Reborn couldn’t wait to go back to his Wife. A headache formed in Nono’s head and his heart sighed. He didn’t know who she was but Reborn’s Wife was able to ensnare the strongest Arcobaleno in the Mafia World, the Best Hitman; she must be really remarkable, brave and beautiful to be able to do the impossible.

And that could become a problem in the future.

He didn’t know this woman and the influence she had on Reborn was really huge, it wouldn’t be a wonder if the Arcobaleno changed because of her; it was still unknown if it would be a good change or a bad change. Nono didn’t want to risk it yet his Mother’s assurance that the woman would soon visit them dispelled some of his worries.

“The first cargo will come in a week. Could have been sooner but since it’s a huge amount of weapons then they needed more time.” Reborn relayed while placing his report together with the agreement on Timoteo’s desk before he sat on the chair in front.

“A week? That’s fine. I thought it would take a month; good job, Reborn.” Nono praised with a gentle smile picking up the report and slowly reading it. Everything was according to what he had been informed before. As soon as he was done, he looked directly at Reborn who had patiently waited. “There are not many important missions recently but if something arises I’ll let you know.”

All the old man got was a nod. Timoteo inwardly chuckled. Ah, love.

“I heard the young Cavallone is doing a nice job with the Famiglia. He still doesn’t know how he will get the money to pay his debts but he already has the allegiance of all the members.” Nono said trying to make idle talk to see until when Reborn would show his true feelings.

“I trained him, of course he has to be the best.” Ah, his pride hasn’t been curbed by the Wife yet. That’s good. “I will still make surprise visits to see how he’s doing. If Stupid-Dino believes I am done teaching him, then I will show him the error of his thoughts.” The evil smile and evil ways were still there too. Well, it looked like apart from making Reborn a smitten fool, the Wife hasn’t changed the man much. Timoteo will still wait, wait to meet her.

“That’s fine.” The old man laughed. “Now, I believe there are things you have pending. I will give you a month to solve them before you can come back to work. You know this business is very unpredictable.” He pointedly said but was disappointed by not getting any reaction from the Arcobaleno, though the anticipation he exuded was very telling, something most likely the Hitman didn’t know he portrayed.

Reborn nodded again. “I’ll be back in a month.” With that he jumped down from the chair and walked to the door only to stop and say: “Next time you send someone to follow me, I will kill whoever it is. I married, Nono, not swore myself to another Boss.” Next, he opened the door and swiftly made his way out with as much dignity as his tiny body could muster.

Timoteo Vongola sat stunned for a few seconds before laughing. It seemed he had misjudged Reborn and by consequence the Wife too.

_We’ll see._

 

…

 

Iolanthe knew when Reborn came back; the Wards tingled and alerted her of the new person inside.  

Curiously, him entering through the front door gave a whole new meaning to them being Husband and Wife and she felt a bit giddy. It could have been because from all those years living in Privet Drive and seeing the men enter the house by the front door and greet their wives. It was etched in her mind that that is how it is supposed to be. That’s what a man should do after coming back from work. After all her effort of trying to escape that life, bits and pieces were still imprinted in her mind.

Though, those weren’t bad in her opinion. And she very much liked this normalcy in her life after everything she had been through. Well, if waiting for a toddler Husband to come back home was something normal.

“Giotto above, what are you wearing?” Iolanthe paused in her cooking and looked amused at an extremely surprised Reborn.

“Why? You don’t like it?” She asked eyeing the recently bought piece of clothing she decided to wear that day. Well, not that she had another option.

“Is that a poncho?” Though, it seemed her Husband was very interested in the new clothes. It almost felt like how they were before the disappearance act her Husband performed.

“It is. It’s very comfortable for wearing at home. I wanted more like this one but the others were a bit awful and Draco didn’t let me buy them, so this is the only one.” She explained flipping the meat in the pan.

“Are you wearing something beneath that?” Reborn’s only answer was a charming smile and that was all he needed to know.

Actually, she also had her hair down. If he remembered the Traditions correctly, in the case he went out for a long period of time, she could use the last style he combed her hair into for as long as he would be out. Reborn really didn’t understand all these Traditions but Iolanthe seemed to liked them. Or maybe she was too lazy to think up a hairdo every morning. According to what she said, if it was her, she would just wear her hair down like at that moment. But then, that meant…

“Are you alone in the house?”

Reborn had the heart to see through the Wards who else was in the house but first and foremost finding his Wife was top in the list that he forgot to check who else was there.

“Yep.” She answered popping the p while plating the meat she had been cooking and taking out another piece; he guessed it was for him. “Draco and Astoria said they wanted to visit the Malfoys to begin planning the wedding. Luna went back to her house to visit her Dad. It seems Mr. Lovegood has been a bit sick lately so she wants to take care of him. So it’s just me and now you.” She went around the kitchen taking this and that out while he sat at the little table in the corner.

The scene looked so domestic that for a moment Reborn felt a bit at a loss. Just the day before, he was threatening Mafiosi and now here he was, waiting for lunch being cooked by his Wife. The comparison was so far-fetched that it didn’t seem real.

“How did the matter with Dino go?” She opened up a new conversation noticing the silence had stretched for too long. In no way, she was fishing for information but then again…

“His Father died so he inherited the Famiglia.” As soon as his words came out, Reborn winced. He was aware that Iolanthe somehow disliked the cold-blooded way of the Mafia, she just didn’t voice it out. And him saying about Dino’s Father’s death so nonchalant made him think that he would earn the serious look from Iolanthe. Though, he was surprised when he got nothing, she didn’t even turn around. “Are you alright, Iolanthe?”

“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit distracted.” That was a lie, she wasn’t fine. Reborn could tell that there was something in her mind deeply bothering her. He didn’t dare guess what, afraid that he would say something wrong and make her more upset.

“Dino got a mission and finally graduated.” Reborn tried again to bring up the previous conversation so he could understand more of Iolanthe’s mood.

“Oh! That’s awesome! Should I prepare a present?” She plated the other piece of meat and took it to the table, bowls of salad and gravy floating behind her serving a simple lunch.

“Might as well, he did very well.” He replied. Getting rid of a middle size Famiglia on his first mission/raid, Dino did more than well.

Finally having her attention, Reborn recounted what happened during Dino’s raid and focused on her reactions. For the most part she was sad and showed sympathy for Dino now being fatherless, she showed the same distressed expression when someone mention killing so dismissively but there was a little part that betrayed the fact that her heart wasn’t truly in the moment. She was hearing the story but not really listening to it. Reborn abstained from telling her what he did in Romania but he did mention Daniela Vongola wanted to meet her.

She showed interest in meeting the Ottava too yet she didn’t look really into it. Something happened to Iolanthe and Reborn knew it wasn’t because he just suddenly left, it was something else. But seeing as she had no intentions of talking about it for now then he wouldn’t probe.

“Oh, right!” She suddenly exclaimed after they were done eating. “There is something I need your help with. Come with me!”

Then she suddenly grabbed his hand and instantly Apparated into the library where Reborn witnessed a web of parchment flying here and there with a huge chart in the middle. It had been a while since the last time he entered the library to see how the research was going and he never saw the result of it. Or at least part of it.

It was amazing.

“Here, Renato.” She said pointing at seven weird drawings he didn’t understand. And hearing her still using his name gave him some sort of peace. “There are seven main Runes and seven sub Runes in this chart that is the Arcobaleno curse. After Luna explained the meaning of the main Runes -which are really ancient combined- with the somewhat modern formulae from Arithmancy, we concluded these main Runes represent each of you. In clockwise movement from the top is Sun, Cloud, Rain, Lightning, Storm, Mist and in the middle Sky. If you notice the glyphs surrounding them, then you will learn that everything is intrinsically connected, meaning that one cannot exist without the other.” And on she went to explain.

A bit dizzy, Reborn was barely able to understand what she wanted to say, “So you mean we need the others?” And the dizziness turned into a headache. It had been so long; he didn’t even know where to start looking for them.

“Yes and no.” She said making him perk up. “It is true that we need them; according to the original layout of the Arcobaleno Curse, we can only work with the seven of you. BUT! After days of thinking, tons of tea and even a dance -because why not-, we came up with the correct usage of the really strange Elemental Runes that practically nobody uses anymore due to creation of Charms that actually work with the weather, so people in the past stopped using them for their Wards in their crops… right, that’s not important. The thing is, we are using these Runes in the Ritual we are going to perform and we just need something, anything that represents all the missing Arcobalenos as offering. Luna was really brilliant coming up with little sacrifices instead of the actual person, it nearly borders Sacrificial Magic and…”

Reborn watched Iolanthe going on and on about their discoveries and for the first time he thought that she looked quite awe-inspiring and lovable instead of off-putting just like how he thought this side of hers was before.

“So, all we need is an object that represents the other Arcobalenos and the ritual will work?” Reborn summarized, gently cutting off her words.

Iolanthe sheepishly smiled knowing very well what she had been doing. “Yeah, the Runes will act as their Flames so we only need an object that acts as them.”

“Can be anything?”

“Yes, it doesn’t matter as long as what we use makes you think of them, anything is possible.”

“Right. So, let’s see, Cloud Flames, that’s the lackey; an apron should do and make it purple. Rain… should have been Lal but Colonnello mucked things up, that gun maniac, I will get an anti-tank rifle for him. Next, Lightning, well Verde was a little creepy and not so useful but I often saw him toying around with electronics but that’s giving him too much credit. Oh yeah, he always had a pen on him, that will work. Storm it’s Fon, that monkey, I can’t think of anything to use for him except for some red fabric. Mist is easy, use some money there and finally Sky…”

Iolanthe was amused by the description Reborn gave his fellow Arcobaleno. He had said that those were just colleagues and that he didn’t get along with them but hearing him talking about them, no matter if it was just to say some mean things, meant that he actually bothered to learn things about them. Iolanthe had seen it and felt it from a glimpse in his memories; they were his Family until everything was ruined. The way he trailed after thinking of his former Sky was proof enough that although he already moved on, thinking about it still hurt him.

“… I will draw the Giglio Nero Famiglia symbol for the Sky.”

Iolanthe sighed. “Ok, since most are easy to get then let’s get them tomorrow. For now, you must be tired, go get some rest.” She smiled combing his unruly hair.

“I’m not tired.” He mutinously sulked. Well, he was tired but taking naps like a common toddler was no-no for him. “You said that after reading that boring book on History, you would teach me something else.” Wanting to get rid of him? In her dreams.

“I did, didn’t I?” She smiled with a bit of indulgence and something else Reborn couldn’t catch. “I was planning to visit the Centaurs, come with me.” And so, they first made their way to the bedroom for Iolanthe to change her clothes, though Reborn got a little surprise when he arrived there.

“Is that a new wardrobe?” The one they had before looked really old but the wood was very elegant and sturdy, yet the one in front of him was a somewhat more modern design. Looking inside, it was still big and with impossible dimensions but Reborn felt there was something wrong with it. “What happened to the other one?”

“Ah, that one. I might have burned it or not…” She coughed embarrassed at her actions and Reborn just looked at her incredulous. “The clothes also burned. It all went poof in a cloud of smoke really quickly, couldn’t save anything.”

Reborn really wanted to ask why but had the sensitivity not to do it, guessing the reason. Though, he felt it was a bit amazing how the thing burned down instantly. There were no scorching marks on the wall or the floor, no residual ashes, no nothing. His heart felt a bit tight knowing she did it because she was angry. Boy, he would have burned with the wardrobe if he was there to witness her wrath. “I did buy new clothes. Everything inside is new, including your things.”

Yep, Reborn had noticed that his suits were different than the ones he had left there, new styles, better styles. He supposed Draco helped Iolanthe to choose them. It was just that… “What about my disguises?” He turned to look at her seeing the new clothes she was sporting. Jeans and a top that didn’t cover her bellybutton. Seriously, where did she go to buy her new clothes?

Cladding some sneakers on her feet -how she missed those-, she nervously giggled. “Those burned too. But don’t worry, we can make new ones with some charms in them. I promise they will be better than the ones you had.” Her face was the epitome of apology and embarrassment that Reborn didn’t have the heart to say anything to her. New disguises was fine and he couldn’t deny he was interested in some of the features from Magical clothing so it was ok if those burned too, it gave him an excuse to try new things. It was a also good that Nono had given him time to dedicate to her after his blunder. “We’re ready, let’s go.”

Going into Centaur territory with his Wife wasn’t as daunting as doing it alone. Even if they were wary of humans, it seemed they had a bit of trust in her. After a brief talk with the Chief of the herd, they were taken to the inner part of their dwelling until they reached a clearing. The whole Forest was forever dark thanks to the tall and robust trees that covered the imitation of sky above but in this clearing he could easily see the sky that was surprisingly full of stars. If he wasn’t wrong, it wasn’t even mid afternoon.

“Tell me a number.” The Chief Centaur spoke solemnly focusing on the stars.

“Seven.” Iolanthe replied.

“Seven. _And if longing seizes you for sailing the stormy seas, when the Pleiades flee the mighty Orion_[1]… no, there is a new one here. Arundhati, the Wife of Vashistha. One of the Seven Sages under Paramatma. A new Manvatara in the Kali Yuga. There is a house floating on water in Srinagar.” The Chief mumbled. Reborn had no idea what was going on but it seemed his Wife was paying particular attention to the confusing words from the very old Centaur. Finally, the creature stopped his mumblings and looked at Iolanthe with a particularly sharp gaze. “You know this isn’t for you to meddle with.”

She looked somewhat distressed but determined. “I know. I just… I just want a definite answer.”

“You already know the answer. But if it is reassurance you seek, then go to Srinagar.” The old Centaur said with finality and walked away leaving the couple in the clearing.

Reborn wanted very much to ask what that was all about yet before he could start with his questions, Iolanthe interrupted him.

“Do you want to come?” Her eyes held a sparkle that had nothing to do with the light of the stars above so he just nodded not really having the will to deny her whims.

And that is how, Reborn finally entered the British Ministry of Magic.

They had packed few clothes for the rather short trip since they needed to prepare for the ritual on the 31st ;so they were a bit tight on time. Reborn suggested going later but it seemed Iolanthe was very adamant in making this trip as soon as possible.

The method to enter the Ministry was very ingenious -at least to him. Nothing like using a public telephone booth to enter an underground building which was full of people coming in and out. Huge fireplaces flashing green flames frequently and a fountain that looked very much new could be seen in what Iolanthe informed was the Atrium. From the moment they had stepped down that telephone booth, many started gawking and even pointing. Reborn was a bit used to the attention, what with him being an Arcobaleno in a toddler body, but he could perceive this was the wrong kind of attention so he finally knew why Iolanthe refused to go to very crowded places.

The Wand checking desk was very inefficient with the guy staring star-struck at Iolanthe instead of doing his job yet when it came his time to register his wand and explaining he didn’t have one, the people around them who had been paying attention to the two began to whisper their own speculations. Neither cared a bit. The ride on the elevator was a bit wild and interesting though very fast, getting to Level Six where the Department of Magical Transportation was located in a short time.

In the ride, Iolanthe explained a bit of where was what.

The offices of the Minister for Magic and other administrative staff were on Level One. Level two was the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Wizengamot offices. On level three was the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures was on level four. On level five was the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Level six was where they were. Level seven was the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Level eight was the Atrium. Iolanthe’s face turned a bit stiff when she spoke of the Department of Mysteries on level nine and level ten where the courtrooms were.

They made a quick way to the Portkey Office where they were received by a very hectic middle-aged man.

“Fill out this form and I’ll be with you in a minute.” The man didn’t even greet or spare them a glance and just went back to his work of running around in the quite ample office carrying documents and filing them.

“Is it always like this?” Asked Reborn. The man looked very busy with hundreds of papers and there was no one around to help. This was not how an Office should run.

“Hm? Not really. Though they must be busy because a new broom is coming out in the market.” Iolanthe replied while filling the information to apply for an International Portkey to India.

It was a bit of a bother since they still had to wait for the form to be revised, made copies of, sent to the main office of the Department to be approved, then wait for the equivalent Office or Department of Transportation in the Indian Ministry of Magic to approve the form, next they would get all the flyers from the Department of International Magical Cooperation on what to do and what not to do in India and finally their Portkey with set coordinates to appear inside a special room in the Indian Ministry. She was still thankful the process didn’t last days but hours, but still…

“A new broom?” What did it have to do with the Portkey Office?

“Yeah, a design from Brazil, they did the tests in the Broom Regulatory Control and since they were approved to be sold here, then the Portkey Office has to make sure all the paperwork is in order to ship them in. This shipping method is rather new, barely introduced a couple of days ago, that’s why they are having issues with all the permits and such. But it is much more convenient than the old method they used of having someone actually go and come back with the goods, like how they do with potions ingredients. There are some things changing in the Ministry as of late-”

Iolanthe’s explanation was cut off by a rough yet sly voice coming from the door.

“Potter.”

“Flint.” She returned, very quickly transforming to her Lady persona; her back straightened, her chin was lifted to the precise angle to show neither subservience nor arrogance and her eyes shifted with a cunning light.

“Fancy seeing you here, Potter.” It had been some time since Reborn was truly displeased by something and noticing the shifty eyes of this very unfortunate man made him want to bash his head on the wall, repeatedly; gouging out those eyes was a nice option too.

Reborn, too, had done a double take when Iolanthe changed again before coming out to a black satin bias cut midi skirt with a decent but very delightful left slit that reached mid thigh, a white silk long sleeved blouse and chunky black boots. She looked rather casual but very classy and Reborn had a hard time coming up with a hairdo because she looked simply good with her hair down with those clothes that at the end, he decided to keep it simple with a side ponytail and a small golden leaf hair pin she thankfully didn’t burn and that he bought for her.

“Can’t say the same.” Iolanthe still managed to ignored Flint’s eyes and primly replied.

“Now, who was the one that came to visit me just a couple of days ago.” The savage grin on Flint’s mouth almost made Iolanthe’s control to slip and curse him to oblivion but years of constant training from Draco reminded her that sending Flint to the emergency ward in St. Mungo’s wasn’t appropriate for a Lady, no matter how tempting and how much Flint deserved it for being ambiguous.

“Remember that as easily as I gave you your new job, I can easily take it away and make sure you can’t make a living in any place in Britain.” Iolanthe sharply said.

Flint’s grin stiffened and he stood there awkwardly. He coughed to hide his discomfort; after all, the fact that he was made the new Head of the Department of Transportation was thanks to her and her new ideas to move goods from one country to another. That in itself, not only gave work to their Department but also the International Magical Trading Standard Body was involved in the project which in turned would help the economy in their Community and erase the dark times from the recent war by showing goodwill towards the others countries since the new appointed representative for the ICW was pants at doing his job and create ties with other countries.

He never thought that such a simple idea would come from the very Iolanthe Potter who wanted nothing to do with the world she lived in. Flint was even more surprised that she came to him with this task. His Slytherin side told him there was more to all this but for now he was happy with not making the Witch in front of him angry.

“So, what brings your exalted self here, Potter?” He changed the tune and opened a new topic.

All he got in response was paper on his face. “Be useful and approve that for me.” She said with a sniff.

Flint wanted very much to curse her for her gall, his darkened face was really telling on his intentions yet he controlled himself and read what was on the paper only to raise an eyebrow at the information on it. India? Really? He abstained from asking question and going to the nearest desk, he grabbed a quill and easily signed his name approving the form. Next, he made copies of it and one was instantly sent to the Indian counterpart by special methods inlaid in the papers.

“You know the process, wait for the response and following procedure.” Flint said with a serious tone.

Iolanthe just nodded in thanks not even bidding farewell to the man when he left with a huff. The witness to the whole encounter couldn’t sit still anymore and needed to make his presence known.

“What was all that about?” And if his tone was a bit irritated, then who could blame him? A man had just disrespected his Wife in front of him and didn’t even apologize for the offense. What’s more, the man even had the nerve to ignore him, the Husband!

Iolanthe sighed. “Marcus Flint from the Ancient and Noble House of Flint, a Slytherin a few years my senior. I came to him a couple of days ago with a new idea to use Portkeys and thanks to it, he was made the new Head of the Department.” She really wanted another person for this task but it seemed that many of her friends and acquaintances didn’t pursue a career in the Ministry or were in the wrong Department. Draco convinced her that they could actually hand this task to Flint and even vowed on his Slytherin pride that even when the guy was a troll with almost no intelligence, he was very shrew in the way he did things when directed well.

Draco was right and it didn’t take long for the new transporting method to be implemented. Next, they would need to work on the International Portkeys because the wait was too long and tedious.

“And why, pray tell, are you meddling with Ministry affairs? As far as I knew, you were slandering this backwards society and wanted nothing to do with it.” Iolanthe was a bit unhappy with Reborn’s tone of voice but she knew it wasn’t because of this matter but because she still hadn’t received a proper explanation to his blunder, so she thought he had no right to go flaunting his authority as a Husband here. Still, she managed to calm down and be reasonable.

“Because, Renato, we are making a revolution.” Iolanthe’s statement stunned Reborn. “You know there is a task entrusted in the Peverell line that I have to accomplish. So together with Luna, Draco and Astoria, we are taking the first steps to change the whole Wizarding Community as it is. There are many ways with which we can improve this society and this is just the beginning.”

The spark in Iolanthe’s eyes was very different from the one she had when studying. This one was full of vigor, of purpose and anticipation of what was to come that Reborn shivered and for a moment he believed that whatever his Wife proposed herself to do, she would succeed in it. He could imagine it; this expression on her face while facing dangers but coming out victorious, that no matter how broken, she would always stand up for what she believed. This was an idealistic Iolanthe but more than that, she looked so untouchable, like a being that had everything in the palm of her hand. Reborn couldn’t help but stare. Stare at this woman who unabashedly showed him all the sides there are in her.

He unbelievably was married to this woman. She was his. His alone. A strange feeling entered his heart, telling him to hide her, hide her where nobody could see her because only he had the right to see all about her yet he managed to push those feelings aside because that was not the time to become so possessive of her.

“How are you going to do it?” He asked with a soft voice not daring to besmirch the image in front of him.

Iolanthe grinned at him and gently caressed his cheek. “My dear Renato, you have to know that being Lady Potter, Lady Black and Duchess Peverell makes me almost like the Queen in the British Wizarding Community. So with a bit of words spoken to the right ears then I can do everything.”

“I am very aware, my Queen.” Responded Reborn with a smug smirk making Iolanthe laugh delighted at his antics. Too bad the mood was interrupted by the still hectic middle-aged man announcing their Portkey was ready.

The international Portkey was very unpleasant, the trip too long and he would have done without slipping when almost landing perfectly. That Iolanthe squished his toddler body when she fell on him just convinced him that travelling by Portkey was the worst in this world. Though he wouldn’t have minded dying suffocated by his Wife’s ample bosom. After standing up and dusting off, they made their way out with the dignity they lost in that fall. Confirming identities and getting permits for the liberal movement in the country was done very fast and they were thankful for it.

And being led to the room where the fireplaces where which would take them to a pub/inn in Srinagar similar to the Leaky Cauldron, was very appreciated.

What made Reborn almost facepalm was witnessing for the first time the famous Gryffindor recklessness, going ahead without a solid plan, as Iolanthe very innocently asked him “Renato, dear, do you happen to speak Hindi?” after they noticed the man in the bar couldn’t speak a word of English when she wanted to book a room to stay the night. That made Reborn wonder what would Iolanthe have done if he wasn’t accompanying her.

 

 

 

[1] From Works and Days by Greek poet Hesiod

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, for those who are reading this and the other works from the 'Seven colors of the Rainbow' series, just a little reminder that those aren't finished yet. I am just not working on them for the time being and I will start writing the one that is the most looked forward to after I'm done with this one! :D
> 
> Next chapter: we introduce a new member of the Family!


	26. Answers upon answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reason why Iolanthe had been skittish is revealed.
> 
> A new member joins the Potter Family.
> 
> Iolanthe discovers something about Reborn she never thought he had in him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I see people like it when Reborn goes all mushy on Iolanthe. I just have to say, enjoy those moments because his words are truly too cringy xD He can't say 'I love you' but comes up with shameless words for Iolanthe, who always gets happy hearing them. Let it not be said that she is an unhappy Wife.
> 
> Anyway, eh, well, the chapter has a definite answer for those who were waiting to see how Iolanthe will break the Arcobaleno Curse. I don't want to say much but I hope you enjoy the chapter :D

 

_**"From** **now on, this means someone speaking Parsel."** _

* * *

 

It wasn’t hard to find Dal Lake, the lake in Srinagar that contained houseboats; what was hard was finding the correct houseboat among the thousands of them. Actually, the Gryffindor recklessness didn’t end with Iolanthe not knowing Hindi, it also included the fact that she actually didn’t know who she was supposed to look for. So, they spent a whole morning going around the lake hoping to pull up a Luna and let things find them. It was obvious they weren’t having any luck with their endeavor and asking around for a Wizard in a Muggle town was not appropriate due to the Statute of Secrecy.

Even if India was the top country which could make Wizards and Muggles coexist with each other without the help of Wards to hide their houses, it didn’t mean they could easily go around talking about Magic. It was a relief when people actually didn’t make a double take at Reborn’s tiny body and most likely mistook him for a small man.

“Really, Iolanthe…” Reborn sighed for the nth time when they stopped at a pier while looking at the beautiful lake. He had to admit that the place was rather charming and it made a perfect spot for a date -if this trip could be considered a date.

“I already said sorry Renato, don’t blame me for this!” Iolanthe huffed as frustrated as he was.

“I’m not blaming you. I just would have liked for you to actually know what we are looking for instead of going around like blind cats wanting to catch a mouse.” Reborn tried to appease her, though his words were not having the effect he desired.

“Well, my blind cat method has worked for me my whole life. Besides, you were there when the Centaur spoke, couldn’t you have asked, too?”

Reborn pursed his lips noticing that Iolanthe really wanted to have a fight taking into account her belligerent tone. “I don’t know what you are trying to do here, Iolanthe. And when I ask you, you always ignore me.”

That put an end to Iolanthe’s arguments. She took a deep breath to calm her emotions and just walked away. Reborn sullenly followed her. It seemed he needed to open up and talk about what happened that night. It truly wasn’t his fault that they had to go back to Italy really early the following morning yet he supposed that he should have written more than a miserable note for her because she truly took things the wrong way and now they were in that state of wanting to talk but not wanting to be the first to give in. Reborn could see it, it was him who had to give in.

Not one for having emotional talks, he was having a hard time deciding the right moment for their talk; still, he also didn’t want this fight to drag on. Making sure Leon was still sitting upon his fedora, he quickly ran towards Iolanthe who had set a quick pace of almost-but-not-quite running away from him. Seeing her stop, his eyes glinted recognizing the moment as the perfect one to talk. Though before he could open his mouth to call her, she immediately ran. Reborn cursed but was surprised at her sudden sprint clad in a flowing white and blue dress and platform sandals as she was. She then stopped again in front of a group of children who were… beating another smaller one.

 

…

 

Iolanthe knew she wouldn’t be able to stand and watch how a group of children were punching, kicking and mocking the small kid on the ground. It was as if she was transported back to those times it was her receiving a beating from her cousin and his friends. More than once, she would have liked for someone to help her, to tell the boys to stop but nobody came. Nobody was willing to help the Freak. So, this time, she wouldn’t be like those adults. This time she would stand for someone who didn’t deserve to be treated as trash.

“Hey! Stop! Stop it!” She yelled pulling some kids and preventing the others from beating the already sobbing kid. “Leave!” She demanded. The kids said words she didn’t understand but could guess the meaning before leaving. One kid even spit on her yet she ignored it and tried to help the beaten and crying kid on the ground. “It’s ok. Nobody will hurt you anymore. You will be fine.”

“ ** _It hurts.”_** The kid sobbed.

 ** _“I know it hurts. Hang in there. Let me help you.”_** She tried soothing the kid and prying the hands from the kid’s face.

 ** _“No! Don’t look!”_** The kid cried out using all the strength the small body could muster to resist Iolanthe and curled even tighter.

“ ** _If I don’t look, how will I tend to your wounds?”_** Her gentle voice managed to make the kid relax a little.

“ ** _You won’t get scared?_** ” The kid asked very mistrustful but she could still hear a thread of hope. Iolanthe inwardly sighed in relief; it seemed the kid was still not totally dubious and jaded to strangers wanting to help just like how she turned out very early in her life.

“ ** _I won’t get scared. I promise._** ” After all, what kind of wounds and scars she hadn’t seen and even sported herself? The kid seemed to think about it and Iolanthe waited as long as it would take for the kid to decide to trust her.

“Iolanthe.” The soft voice from her Husband made her look back at him. He had a very strange expression on his face but seeing him made her mood plummet a bit reminding her that she was angry at him. Though she softened seeing him clean the spit from her clothes.

“ ** _Yes, Renato?”_** Still, she tried her best to at least be a dignified, angry Wife but what he said made her pause.

“You are speaking Parsel with the kid.”

 ** _“Ah?”_** A small hand grabbed her skirt and she turned to the kid who was looking at her with very impossible eyes. “ ** _Oh_**.” The almond-shaped eyes blinked showing again the yellow eyes with a black slit in the middle. Iolanthe had seen a fair share of those eyes yet never in a human’s face. She composed herself rather quickly and sweetly smiled at the kid. “ ** _You have very beautiful eyes._** ” The kid’s eyes widened in surprise to then glint with happiness and a smile couldn’t help but form on the bruised mouth showing sharp fangs. **_“So? Where do you live? I will take you back home.”_**

A forked tongue naughtily slipped out from the mouth that was now letting out sibilant hisses that Iolanthe translated as giggles. She smiled even wider and offering her hand, the both started walking.

And it looked like they really pulled up a Luna when they arrived at the houseboat that contained many flasks with questionable ingredients, Runes etched on the door and windows and tables and everywhere, and a pungent smell of incense that Iolanthe recognized as the same incense Professor Trelawney used for her Divination classes. Well, it seemed like the Centaur sent them to another Seer because the moment they stepped into the houseboat, the rough voice of an old man sounded with very accented English.

“Iolanthe Potter and Renato Sinclair. I have been waiting for you.” Ok, that helped a lot. No explanation needed.

An extremely thin old man stepped out of the back room. His body cladded only in an orange fabric that covered his lower body, his white hair and beard were really long with the latter messily tangled with his bead necklaces though it seemed the aged man didn’t mind. His eyes were completely white telling them that the man was blind yet could navigate his house perfectly fine when he sat on a mat by the low table and gestured the two to sit on the two mats in front. He really was waiting for them. The kid quickly made his way and sat behind the old man forgetting all about the wounds.

“It is answers you look for, answers upon answers.” The old man looked at Iolanthe rather sternly making Iolanthe duck her head like an admonished kid. She knew it was definite but she still hoped. “There is a reason why there are mortals and beings beyond our comprehension, Iolanthe Potter.” He began while expertly moving his hands around, preparing herbal tea. “You are acquainted with a Supreme god and you are aware that you cannot change what they have dictated. It is written is everything that exists.”

“No! There must be a way!” She yelled with conviction and desperation banging the table.

“There is no other way.” The old man said with finality. “You are living the result of disrupting what was supposed to always exist; that is yours to fix, don’t go ruining another one.”

Iolanthe sat heavily on the mat. “But I… I…” Her lip trembled and her eyes got misty with tears. She looked at Reborn who had been quietly listening to their conversation and the pudgy, immature face contrasting with his sharp, handsome but still blurry features made her collapse and dissolving into tears, wailing apologies while clinging to the small body of her Husband who looked startled and not knowing what to do but to pat her head trying to sooth her but failing miserably.

Meanwhile, the old man kept preparing his tea and gestured the kid behind him to go fetch him other two bowls to prepare different kind of teas for his guests. With a flick of his hands, herbs flew and entered the bowls which he calmly smashed with a mortar not minding the devastated woman and confused man in front of him. With a nice timing, he finished preparing the tea that would help for the now silent woman’s parched throat from all the crying and the calming one for the man. He needed it for what was to come.

“The Sun shines brightly upon us all. Nothing can be hidden from it.” The old man said after drinking his tea in one gulp. He stood up intent on returning to his room but before he left other words. “You can take the kid with you; her fate is no longer tied with mine. Her name is Farid.”

Iolanthe nodded towards the old man and her hands cupped the bowl of tea which she sipped daintily giving her time to collect her thoughts. Reborn did the same with his tea but he just waited; he knew he would finally receive his own answers. The kid, the girl, Farid, awkwardly sat in front of them neither moving nor speaking waiting, too.

“I can’t break it.” Iolanthe’s rough voice broke the silence. She glanced at Reborn who was paying attention to her words. “The Arcobaleno Curse, I can’t break it.” She noticed how his hands tightened around the bowl but had the enough control to put it back on the table. Seconds later, he looked at Iolanthe with a surprisingly open expression as if ready to accept whatever what was to come. That broke Iolanthe’s heart further and silent tears ran down her face.

“Is this why we came here?” His voice was very calm, composed giving Iolanthe the strength to continue.

“Yes. I met someone back in France. Someone who had been interested in the Arcobaleno Curse for a long time.”

“Who?”

“Talbot.” She wiped her tearstained face knowing very well she didn’t have to explain who that man was.

“What did he say?”

“He convinced me that I couldn’t break the Arcobaleno Curse because this, Renato,” she pointed at the Pacifier hanging from his neck. “This Pacifier and the Arcobaleno Curse are part of what is known as the Trinisette. To us, mortals, the number seven is a very powerful number but to gods, the number three holds a special meaning. For example, Death created three objects for the Peverell brothers to help with what Mother Magic entrusted. The number three means balance to gods. Renato,” she looked at him with heavy eyes still bloodshot from her crying. “Checker Face is not a mortal.”

Reborn sat stunned at the revelation. With just a few sentences, he knew where this was going. He had been around Magicals enough to know that things are not what they seem and that other forces are behind what we mostly know. He forced himself to calm down, to breath.

“What’s the Trinisette?” He asked with clenched teeth.

“The Trinisette is the balance behind this world. We had to come here, to this particular Seer because he understands more than anyone out there what the balance means, what it entails; the Creation, the Preservation and the Destruction. That is why gods use the number three; to portray this cycle. Talbot didn’t know much about the Trinisette, only that it consisted of the Pacifiers, the Mare Rings and the Vongola Rings.” Yet another blow to Reborn who was getting dizzy from the information and the hundreds of ideas roaming in his mind.

“Mortals cannot meddle in the balance of the world, that’s why we use the number 7. There are 7 Pacifiers, 7 Mare Rings and 7 Vongola Rings. 7 is the seeker, the thinker, the researcher of Truth; it means that nothing is as it seems and that reality is hidden behind illusions. The mortals’ reality is just an illusion hidden behind the balance that gods have set; as such, the balance is shouldered by ancient and powerful beings. After hours of discussion, we managed to deduce that Checker Face was part of these beings that had to protect the balance yet at the end were unable to. We don’t dare to guess what happened but the result of it was that as they couldn’t hold the balance themselves then they decided to choose among the mortals to help them with it.”

“Are you saying…”

“Yes, Renato, what you hold is one of the keys to keep the balance in this world. That’s why I cannot break the Arcobaleno Curse, if I break it… I cannot imagine the consequences of doing it.”

“But… the Vongola Rings, they don’t…” A part of him didn’t want to believe what was being said but his logical mind told him that it was true. Everything she was saying was true.

“Oh, Renato, my dear Renato.” She leaned to hug his body fearing he would crumble from the information he was hearing. “You just drew the short straw in all this. I Prescelti Sette. The Strongest Seven are the ones who carry the heaviest burden that is the Pacifier and as such suffer the heaviest aftermath. Think, what has actually been the fate of those who held the Rings versus those who held the Pacifier? Not any Tom, Dick or Harry can be chosen as the strongest.”

Reborn kept silent for a couple of seconds before saying rather unwilling. “But we are not the strongest. Magicals have more ways than us or the other Magicks you talked about, why couldn’t he choose from them?”

Iolanthe sighed and tightened her hold on his body. “That’s because other Magicks are corrupted. Magic itself depends on several things like emotions and even blood or the abilities in some lineages; there are many variables. But Flames, Flames come from the soul and only depend on one thing.”

“Will.” Reborn replied with understanding.

Many times he had explained Dino that to control his Flames he needed resolve yet many times he had to link it with emotions. He knew that was giving a handicap but there was no better way to teach a teenager whose emotions were always going haywire. Reborn knew better; rage and anger never made Flames purer or stronger, that was just an illusion to deceive oneself. To him, what always made his Flames stronger was his will, his resolve, his determination to decide and take the correct actions to achieve his goals. That’s why he was the best Hitman, because he can put his goal above everything, even his own feelings.

“Yes, that’s why it can only be Flame users with their purest Magick. Believe me that if I could, I would willingly share that burden with you yet I can’t. I’m really sorry, Renato, I gave you hope before things could actually be done.” And she really was sorry. It wasn’t a lie that Magicals had the resources to do things; breaking the Arcobaleno Curse was hard but not impossible. She was just cautious as to what would happen if she did it. After all, what she had discovered these past few years learning all aspects in Magic was that everything needed balance. But…

“But you thought of a way, right?” Asked Reborn almost in synch with her thoughts. Iolanthe’s heart beat really fast knowing this man, the one she had given her heart to would always, could always know what she was thinking and didn’t that make it more especial? Well, at least to her it was.

“Of course, I did. Balance is important but where there is Order…”

“…there is Chaos.” He finished for her.

“Exactly! This is why I love you.” She declared planting a big kiss on his lips and ignoring his stiff face, she explained. “We have been talking mostly of breaking the Curse because we have the way to do it, though now that we actually can’t then we can only make the next best thing: isolate it. We have created a ritual that will isolate the effect the Pacifier has on your Flames. As of now, there exists a link between your soul and the Pacifier, the actual source of the Curse. So, we will create some sort of stasis Ward around the Pacifier as if time has stopped for it and, at the same time Confound it a bit making it ‘think’ that it is still absorbing your Flames. This Ward is not permanent and we have calculated through trial and error and a bastardized Pacifier we created that the best time for the Ward to coexist with the Curse before the latter ‘realizes’ it’s being fooled is exactly a week."

At the end of her spiel, she looked so proud of herself and a bit winded that the kiss she got in return from her Husband took her by surprise and actually tackled her. If the kiss lasted a second or two longer than they had tacitly stipulated as appropriate according to their situation, then neither commented about it. It was just… they had public, a very young public who let out that sibilant hiss that were her giggles. That reminded them that the girl named Farid was still in the room and had witnessed their short passion.  

“Wait, didn’t that old man say we could take her?” Asked Reborn quickly standing up and looking at the girl. She looked like a normal girl with her honey skin tone, the black slick hair that was curiously flaring like the hood of a cobra, the black slits that were like pins in the yellow sea of her eyes, and the fangs elongating from her mouth which were dripping venom, the forked tongue constantly flicking; yes, a very normal girl who only needed a few more meals because she was very thin. “Is she feeling threatened by me?” Wouldn’t be the first; all the snakes Iolanthe possessed reacted the same when he approached them. The basilisk, Sissee, could easily kill him so it never felt threatened by him.

 ** _“It’s ok. He won’t hurt you.”_** Iolanthe spoke to Farid trying to appease her.

 ** _“He smells of danger and death.”_** Replied the spooked girl eyeing Reborn nervously. She hadn’t noticed him before because she was focused on the beautiful and gentle lady who helped her with the bullies. But when her caretaker, the old man, addressed this small man, she finally saw him and instantly feared him. She just couldn’t understand why she had forgotten or rather not noticed her fear.

 ** _“That… It is a bit hard to explain but I assure you he won’t hurt you.”_** Iolanthe tried again but seeing the still unconvinced girl, she tried another approach. Grabbing Reborn’s hand, she slowly presented him in front of her. **_“See, you are even taller than him, it’s obvious he can’t do anything to you.”_** When Iolanthe was young, she always feared those kids who were taller than her, that’s why she thought that going by the same logic it will help Farid to get along with Reborn -who looked very grumpy because he was shorter than the girl. After all, from the moment she saw her, Iolanthe had the intention to take her back to England with them.

But Iolanthe underestimated the instinct born from Farid’s blood, the same blood that gave her the snake-like features and instead of looking at Reborn, who was truly a head shorter than her, she looked at the hand holding the man’s smaller one. With her own bony hands, she separated them and that overwhelming fear came back in full force, she hastily joined Iolanthe and Reborn’s hands again and it disappeared. She tilted her head and did the same over and over again.

“What is she doing?” Reborn very patiently let himself be manhandled by the girl.

“Hush, right now she is afraid of you so let her do whatever she wants.” Iolanthe replied watching a bit amused at the focused Farid who kept joining and separating hers and Reborn’s hands.

“And you want to bring her back with us?” He was not ignorant to what she wanted to do with Farid but he still asked.

“Yeah, I want to adopt her.” Iolanthe stopped talking when it seemed Farid had come to some sort of conclusion from her game.

 ** _“Your hands smell like home.”_** Farid suddenly said leaving Iolanthe perplexed. **_“If I separate them, they have a different smell but if joined, they smell like home.”_** She concluded with more conviction in her simple infantile words.

“She said home, she wants to come?” Asked Reborn barely understanding the girl’s words. He still needed to practice Parsel.

“No, she said that when our hands are joined, they smell like home.” Iolanthe was still confused by the comparison. Her mind couldn’t come up with any idea as to what Farid was talking about but the subtle tightening of Reborn’s hand made her look at him. His face clearly expressing understanding. “You know what she means?”

“More or less.” Was his ambiguous answer.

“Renato, either you say it or not.” Reborn couldn’t hold his mysteriousness against his Wife’s pouty face and he instantly spilled the beans.

“I think we Harmonized.”

Iolanthe was taken aback by his words. “Harmonized? But I am not… I don’t have Flames.”

“That’s why I’m not sure, but that is the only reason I can come up with that explains why our joined hands smell like home to her; after all, to a Guardian, their Sky is home. I don’t know how it happened, Iolanthe but my Flames Harmonized with your Magic.”

Iolanthe sat pensively intently staring at the hands that were holding but no matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t think of a reason of the happening so she tossed that to the back of her head; it would come to torment her at a later date, she knew. So for now it was best to address the matter at hand. Smiling at Farid, she asked **_“Do you want to come and be part of our Family, Farid?”_**

****

…

 

Cutlery faintly hit the plates early on the morning of October 30th. Luna was back from visiting her Dad who thankfully only had a mild cold and a couple of days of rest was all he needed. Draco and Astoria had set the date for their wedding and decided that a small reception would suffice for them despite Narcissa’s claims that they needed a bigger party. And Iolanthe and Reborn returned late the previous night due to the difference in time and the hustle and bustle they had to go through in the Indian Ministry of Magic because of Farid.

“Ok, I think I waited enough for this.” Said Draco putting his fork down. “I get it that when Lovegood goes on her expeditions, she brings back exotic pets to fill the Forest and that you, Iolanthe, bring cursed and weird objects to study later on. But what I can’t understand is why when you go out with your Husband you bring back a child.”

A very tired Iolanthe glanced at Draco and then at Farid who was delightfully hissing about the softness of the pancakes. She hadn’t slept much during the night they returned from India and finalized the papers to adopt Farid, becoming Farid Potter as soon as the documents from the British Ministry registered her under the Potter line. Running around in India due to the papers and getting those objects needed for the ritual as well as spending like no tomorrow buying things for Farid left her exhausted and extremely grumpy after not sleeping well in days.

But she was very happy with her decision even if she had to wake up early because she had a new, young mouth to feed who wakes up as soon as the sun rises. Not used to that schedule, she was a bit irritated and only wanted peace while eating but Draco simply couldn’t stop his gossipy heart from rearing its ugly head.

In the end, she ignored him and grabbed Reborn’s cup of coffee because she needed something stronger than tea.

“You can’t be against a Family coming together, Draco.” Instead a very wise Luna replied after giving Farid a glass of peach juice. “Besides, the house needs a kid or two running around. Nargles are trying to enter and Daddy always said that a child’s laugh quickly drives them away.”

“I’m not saying I’m against her being here. I just want to know why she looks like…”

“She looks very beautiful, Draco, don’t let me hear you say otherwise.” Iolanthe threatened pointing her fork at the blonde man.

“Beautiful, of course! All Potter women are very beautiful.” Draco quickly said.

“My, Draco and in front of your fiancée and my Husband.” Iolanthe teased earning a chuckle from Astoria and a twitch from Reborn’s mouth. “Well, Farid was supposed to be a snake Maledictus but suffered some sort of trauma either while she was still in the womb or when she was a baby and her core was stabilizing that made it deviate and end up with her features. I will look into trying to make her take full control of her abilities. For now, she can only speak and understand Parseltongue, I am trying to come up with a way with which you can communicate with her. My first option is the BSL.”

“That is a lovely idea.” Astoria chirped smiling gently at Farid who ducked her head, shy.

“Yep, she is somewhat shy but very lively as soon as she gets to know you and for that she will intently stare and flick her tongue at you, so please don’t get nervous around her. She can actually smell what you are feeling and will act accordingly… oh, like now.” All the others watched how the girl acted as if someone had stepped on her tail -even if she didn’t have one- going all pinstripe eyes, flared hood and flicking tongue.  

 ** _“I smell a new hatchling.”_** The huge body of Sissee made its way into the kitchen expecting some food yet found the new dweller of the house.

 ** _“Don’t move. She is just curious about you.”_** Iolanthe gently spoke to Farid who thankfully listened to her advice and stood rooted on her chair while the basilisk coiled around the table to finally raise her head in front of Farid.

 ** _“Smells weird, like us and like human. There is fear but still a very obedient hatchling.”_** Sissee analyzed flicking her tongue.

 ** _“This is Farid, I adopted her to be my daughter so I hope you get along with her, Sissee.”_** Iolanthe interjected.

 ** _“Not from the nest?”_** The basilisk asked rearing its head a bit making Draco and Astoria flinch. They still couldn’t get used to having a really dangerous Creature freely roaming the house but at the moment, they were more worried the basilisk would do anything to the new addition in the house.

 ** _“No, but from now on she is a part of this nest.”_** Iolanthe patiently taught Sissee who was a hatchling too despite the humungous size.

 ** _“What a strange practice.”_** Sissee concluded. **_“Come, hatchling, I will present you to the rest.”_** And so it started making its way out of the kitchen. Farid looked at Iolanthe who nodded and the girl quietly made her way out together with the huge snake. She was still a bit stiff but you couldn’t simply disobey such a mighty snake, the King of snakes, it was in her blood to obey.

“Will she be fine?” Reborn made his presence known.

“She might be. Actually, I am more worried about the other snakes.” Iolanthe eyed the slightly fidgety Reborn and she couldn’t help but tease him. “Well, maybe you can be a good Dad and accompany your darling daughter to meet her new friends. Who knows what kind of bad influence those snakes could be? Wouldn’t want a male snake to start having designs on her. She’s too young to leave the nest.”

Iolanthe didn’t have to say more before the man was already running out of the kitchen. Her Husband, contrary to what she expected, took Farid’s adoption really well and did his best to get to know her these past few days. The both of them were like your typical siblings constantly getting in trouble and she swore she must have won white hairs by taking care of their messes. The plus was that Reborn was making a rapid progress in understanding Parsel.

She actually didn’t know why her Husband was acting like that with Farid but she took it as a good sign; meaning that Reborn, for all that he looked and acted like a devil had a surprisingly soft spot for daughters. That didn’t bode well if they ever had sons but they would see to that when they were facing that problem.

“You are evil, Iolanthe.” Draco commented while sipping his tea.

“You saw the man, he really likes daughters.” Iolanthe chuckled. “Anyway, we have work to do.” The four put on a serious face and drinking the last of their teas, they made their way to the Library.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what do you think about the new member of the Family?  
> I wanted to have a Maledictus in my fic because I really like what J.K.R did with Nagini. She was not just a snake but someone with background. Actually, Farid is just the first of countless children   
> Iolanthe will give a Family to. YES! That is a spoiler but I happily give it to you! Alright, too much excitement for today. See you next update! :D


	27. Samhain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of Samhain. The day to commemorate the dead and the perfect day to do a Ritual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This author has been sick for more than a week, so you might only get one chapter instead of the two I post since I haven't made any progress in the story and I don't want to catch up to then leave you hanging when I really can't write like what is happening now.
> 
> I went to the doctor and got the meds so I hope I get a little better to write a bit these coming days so you get the chapter on Thursday :D
> 
> The chapter today might look hurried and unedited. The thing is, a couple of days before posting a chapter I might add little things, a paragraph here, a conversation there when I edit it when I think up more things to put. In this chapter more importantly because Reborn has his first real interaction with Teddy and acts like a babysitter xD
> 
> But since I've been not feeling well, I didn't add anything nor I edited any error this chapter might have. 
> 
> Please feel free to tell me where the errors are so when I feel better I will fix them. (Not add things, I don't see the point once it's posted xD)
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the long note, I know not many read them that's why people keep commenting the same things and I keep explaining the same things. Not that I mind, but it would be nice for everybody to be on the same page with this fic :D Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 

_Clunk_

_Clunk_

_Bump!_

“Oh Lord above free me from this pain!”

Ssss Ssss Ssss

**_“Not funny, little lady.”_ **

_Clunk_

_Clunk_

“What are you doing this early in the morning, Iolanthe?”

_Clunk_

“I’m planning to make an altar.”

“Whatever for?”

“My dear Husband, it’s Samhain. We are going to celebrate it by putting an altar to commemorate those who have already passed away, then we are going to prepare food according to the celebration, do some crafts, visit my parents’ grave, then get Farid ready because she will be going out to celebrate Halloween with the other kids in the neighborhood; Teddy will be coming too. And after the kids go to sleep, we will do our ritual.” Iolanthe listed.

Reborn sighed. It was too early for such a racket but he couldn’t begrudge the two when they were having fun. He only didn’t know why they had to use the skull of a stag in the altar. Farid was even carrying a jar full of claws and dragging the pelt of some sort of animal; for a little girl, she wasn’t that squeamish. Seriously, Magical celebrations were a bit weird even for him. However, he also had a reason to actually celebrate with them since from that day and for a week, he would get his normal body back. Watching Iolanthe carrying/dragging the big skull, his eyes glinted and he didn’t doubt in helping her carry it to the Parlour where they would install the altar.

“Where are the others?” Reborn asked easily mounting the skull on the hook nailed in the wall for it. He had finally gotten used to constantly check where the others were through the Wards yet he discovered that so early in the morning it was just the three of them in the house.

“They will be accompanying their own families in their own celebrations and will be back in the afternoon for our little Halloween party.” Replied Iolanthe carefully placing the pelt on the table that was covered by a purple piece of fabric with golden embroidery. The jar of claws was put on the pelt so the latter wouldn’t slip and an expensive-looking incense burner also was set on the altar.

Then she instructed Farid where she should place the candles while she conjured some lilies and a pot with water for them. A picture of James and Lily Potter also made its way on the table as well as an empty frame that Reborn guessed was just symbolic for Black and Lupin since they were actually dead even if they had Magical portraits and could still communicate with the living. Other things also decorated the altar, like a Weasley Wizard Wheezes product, a very girly lavender-colored headband, a camera and snake skin.

“ ** _This, Farid, is for Grandpa James,”_** Iolanthe commented while pointing the stag skull. **_“The flowers are for Grandma Lily, the pelt is for Uncle Sirius, the claws for Uncle Remus, this small firework is for a very dear friend of mine called Fred Weasley, the headband used to belong to my roommate Lavender Brown, the camera is in honor to my number one fan Colin Creevey and this snake skin… I really don’t know who your real mother was, or if she is dead or not but I put this skin just to thank her for giving birth to you. Later, after we make the food, we are going to pray for them, ok?”_**

Farid was still young, only five years old, and couldn’t understand vey well what all this Samhain was about but she still nodded because she was now part of a new Family, she had a real Mom and Dad -even if she was taller than her Dad- who wanted to take care of her and she really, really wanted to learn everything about them so they would be proud of her. Her thoughts were simple, she already liked Iolanthe, her new Mom, and even though her Dad was scary, she could feel that she mattered to him; so, Farid only wanted for them to like her, too.

Reborn looked at the altar and he could see the love and fondness in each and every item on the altar; what they all represented to his Wife. He sighed thinking just how much she had truly lost. Reborn hesitated and seeing that Iolanthe and Farid were already gone, he silently took out a very old hair pin putting it on the altar and with quick steps made his way out of the room.

Arriving at the kitchen, he watched with mirth the mess already done as Iolanthe taught Farid to cook. After sitting at the table in the corner, he could see that Iolanthe was teasing the poor girl with all the desserts she was whipping up for the party at night. He also didn’t know from where Iolanthe had gotten such huge pumpkins. Some were even taller than Farid who was having troubles taking out the meat from inside the one that would be carved later on; though she would, from time to time surreptuosly dip her fingers in the fudge Iolanthe was using for some candies.

Never before had Reborn been so proud of the level of stealth in a kid. If Farid had Flames, then he would have already taken her away to train her. He could still do it even without Flames; after all, no daughter of his would become a damsel in distress in this cruel world.

Done with breakfast and the prayers before the altar, they got ready to visit the grave of the Potters. Iolanthe carried numerous flowers while Reborn helped her with the basket of other items she wanted to bring. They Apparated to the quaint village of Godric’s Hollow by the ruined Potter cottage. Bypassing the cottage, they made their way to the graveyard where they silently navigated through the lines of tombstones until they found the one for James and Lily Potter.

While she cleaned and placed objects on the tombstone, she recounted all she had done during the year; including her trip to the States to apprentice under Newt Scamander on how to take care of dangerous Creatures. She was given a case with some of Newt’s Creatures which he could no longer see to and she had placed inside hers and Draco’s imitation of the Forbidden Forest -their N.E.W.T.s project which instantly gave them their Mastery in Runes, Arithmancy and Charms. She also mentioned she got married, that she adopted a daughter and that by the visit next year, there will be a new member in the Family to present to them.

With an encouraging smile, Iolanthe invited Farid to speak to her Grandparents assuring the girl that they were listening to them. Farid shyly presented herself, where she was from, how she met Iolanthe and how happy she was to call her Mom after never knowing her real Mother. She also promised to be a good girl and that she would visit them the following year too. Iolanthe heard it all with a watery smile that she hid when her new daughter turned to look at her asking with timid eyes if she had done well.

 ** _“You were perfect, dear.”_** Iolanthe said patting her daughter’s head. Grabbing the girl’s hand, she glanced at Reborn with meaningful eyes and walked away to show Farid around the town.

Alone, Reborn stared at the tombstone and the inscription ‘The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death’; the same inscription from the ring that sat on his right middle finger. That which identified him as Lord Potter.

“Your daughter is an amazing person,” he began after taking off his fedora. “She reminds me of an unfortunate woman who lived an unfortunate life and died an unfortunate death, my Mother. Both doing their best to protect what was important to them. Both being selfless people never expecting anything in return, happy with only seeing a smile on those they consider dear. Back then, I was too weak to protect my Mother but now I can make sure that Iolanthe won’t end up like her. That, I promise.” He closed his eyes and deeming it appropriate, he bowed to the tombstone.

_Thank you. Please take care of her._

The wind momentarily picked up carrying those words. Reborn nodded once again to the tombstone and quietly made his way out of the graveyard finding his Wife and daughter by a monument of a couple and a baby in their arms. He didn’t have to ask to know to whom the monument was dedicated and just nodded at Iolanthe so they could make their way back home.

The afternoon was more lively and Reborn was unlucky to be used as model for their daughter’s costume to go Trick-or-Treating with the kids in the neighborhood.

“How much longer?” Asked a disgruntled Arcobaleno.

“Not much longer, stay steady.” Replied a focused Iolanthe while making adjustments to the fabric. She was not very good at stitching clothes; many times she had to commission her robes. But with the correct Spells learned by Molly Weasley years ago, she could create very simple designs like the black dress she was fitting on her Husband.

“Why isn’t Farid the one standing here?” He complained again eyeing the dress on his body. Said girl only giggled-hissed at her Dad’s grumpy face and complaints.

“Now, now, godson-in-law, be a good boy and don’t move. You wouldn’t want one of those needles to prick that delicate baby skin.” Portrait Sirius made his presence known in the Sunroom-turned-workshop from the frame with a painted prairie in it.

“If only you weren’t a painting, Black.” Reborn mutinously mumbled earning that pinch from a needle.

“Don’t move, dear.” Iolanthe teased with a mischievous smile which Reborn vindictively erased by pecking her lips and seeing with delight her blushing face.

“Hey! Hey! There are kids and unhappy godfathers present!” Portrait Sirius complained making Iolanthe laugh while a smug smirk perched on Reborn’s face. The dog Animagus grumbled about the injustice of it all and how could his little Flower be taken advantage of!

“Oh, so this is where you are.” Portrait Remus suddenly said standing beside Portrait Sirius. “And who is this?” He asked while looking at Farid.

For the most part Portrait Remus spent his time back in Andromeda’s house seeing his son grow up. Well, secretly seeing his son grow up because more than once, the old woman had made her displeasure known that her own daughter couldn’t see Teddy grow up but Remus could even if he was just a portrait.

“This, my furry friend, is our Bambi’s adopted daughter, Farid Potter, coming right from India. I once knew a gorgeous Indian lady, and oh, she was as hot as the place she came from.” Portrait Sirius presented while not forgetting to recount one of his meetings with a woman. Iolanthe had always suspected that those two painted each other seeing how Sirius always came up with things that didn’t match his age but someone who was younger. She actually didn’t mind as this Sirius was very entertaining and just what she needed to forget how her Godfather had disappeared in that Veil.

“The lady who dumped you because you smelled like wet dog?” Of course, that Portrait Remus was the same kind man she knew didn’t mean that he couldn’t have the wit of his youth in jabbing at Sirius.

Portrait Sirius barked a laugh. “Nah, that was the French woman I met in a bar. I was chased away by the Father of that Indian lady after I stole a kiss from her.” The rogue smile made Iolanthe groan and mutter about ‘ridiculous godfathers’. The small Family spent the next half an hour listening to raunchy stories of the many women Portrait Sirius had met. He even told about that escapade on Samhain to the Ravenclaw Tower to spend a steamy night in the Girl’s Dormitories. He didn’t remember with whom he spent the night with.

“Ok, stop. Even if Farid cannot understand you, I don’t want those kind of stories around her.” Iolanthe commanded like a proper mother hen. “There, it’s all done. You can take it off, Renato.”

Reborn quickly but carefully took the dress off making sure he didn’t ruin it. “What’s this costume for, anyway?” He asked seeing Farid putting the dress on.

She looked really normal with that black dress and black tights. Her hair -which they thought was like a cobra hood- was actually real with a natural slicked back hairstyle; they still didn’t know why it moved like a cobra hood but they left that part alone and only combed the part from the nape down into two braids. Using a Glamour for her eyes and fangs, Farid’s costume was ready.

“Oh, it’s Wednesday Addams from that Addams Family show. When we were locked in jail back in France, the French Aurors had a TV in the station and one of the movies aired in it. So it gave us the idea of what to dress up for this Halloween. Our first year in the house and after we took down the Fidelius, we dressed up as the monster of Frankenstein and its bride with Luna as Victor. After Astoria graduated, we decided to become a coven of vampires and now this year we are dressing as the Addams Family.”

Reborn never thought they took this celebration so seriously. “Ok, Farid is Wednesday and then?”

“Draco will be Gomez, Astoria will be Morticia, Luna very willingly wanted to be the Grandmama and Teddy will be dressed up as Pugsley.” Reborn didn’t like the smirk she had on her face but he still needed to ask.

“What about us?” Iolanthe almost skipped out of the room with how happy she was. Reborn regretted asking and eyeing the snickering Portraits Sirius and Remus let him confirm they definitely knew. He could only lament not knowing about that Addams Family show and being ignorant of their members so he could only wait for Iolanthe to come back. And back she came, carrying a lump of hair. “What’s this?”

“This, my dear and beloved Husband, owner of my heart,” the endearing names didn’t mean anything good to him, “is your costume. You will be cousin Itt.” So she said, she put the lump of hair on him which was surprisingly comfortable. Using the mirror placed temporarily in the room, he checked at himself. He looked just like how he thought he would look, like a walking lump of shiny, well-combed brown hair.

“And then who are you going to be?” Reborn paused. Everybody else in the room laughed. “What did you do to this costume?” Ah, he hadn’t heard wrong. His voice and words came out as high-pitch gibberish. He could finally witness what Charms could do in clothes. The costume wasn’t stuffy no matter how it looked, he could perfectly see yet the hair had no eyes, even if he moved or ran around, the hair didn’t tangle and it made his voice transform. This was genius.

“How is it? You like it?” Iolanthe asked with a wide smile.

Taking the costume off, Reborn replied with a very satisfied smile. “Very much.” He didn’t mind that the others had laughed. His years at being an Arcobaleno had taught him to adapt to the situation and the costume was nice, he wouldn't deny it.

“I’m glad. I’m gonna be your Wife, Margaret.” She said taking out a dark pink dress and a golden diadem. The Wards tingled letting both Iolanthe and Reborn know that someone had arrived by Floo. “That must be Teddy.”

Right after Teddy arrived, Draco and Astoria came back from visiting Draco’s parents and Luna who had brought quite a surprise in the form of Rolf Scamander. It was nice since they needed someone to dress up as Uncle Fester Addams and it seemed that Rolf had no qualms in doing so if Luna asked him. The rest of the afternoon was very lively in the house what with moving decorations, preparing candies for the kids who would come to ask as soon as they dispelled the Muggle-Repellant Ward, and preparing the costumes for themselves.

Done with everything, Reborn was tasked with accompanying Farid and Teddy asking for candies and he also acquiesced to his daughter’s plan to also ask for candies himself which would be given to the kids later on. Of course, that was planned behind Iolanthe’s back. The rounds were a success and the three got so many candies that Reborn had to hide most of them inside his costume with the help of Leon. Though that didn’t prevent both Farid and Teddy to get on a sugar high in the little evening party and for the rest of the night.

Thankfully, they were handled by Rolf while the others went to prepare for the Ritual.

“The Ritual is going to be different than the one on Mabon. Samhain is a day to celebrate death and life, mostly focused on rebirth. It is also a good day to practice Soul Magic. As we consider Flames some sort of Soul Magic then this day is perfect for the Ritual we are going to do.” Iolanthe quietly explained while soaking in a cleansing bath of sandalwood and rosemary together with her Husband. The bathroom was completely dark except for the few candles around barely illuminating their faces.

“Do I need to do anything?” Reborn asked in a low voice too.

“Nothing. You will just stay in the place designated for the Sun.” Reborn nodded. He had been explained where his place was in the ritual so he was glad there wasn’t much to do.

Entering a different Ritual room in the basement and wearing that same flimsy robe, Reborn marveled at the complex final Ritual circle drawn on the floor with some unknown substance he hadn’t bothered to ask what it was. Following Iolanthe’s instruction he immediately stepped on the Elemental Rune called Generate Light that represented the Sun. He found it a bit odd that there still needed to be a Rune for him when he was going to stand in the circle himself unlike the others but he trusted Iolanthe in whatever she was trying to do.

When the clock marked midnight, the herbs burned on their own and the inner lines of the ritual where he stood lit up, rendering him immobile. He calmed himself down and once again did as Iolanthe had instructed: meditate in his place, erase all thoughts leaving a completely blank mind. He didn’t know how long he meditated for but unconsciously as he emptied his mind, his body began to relax and then he completely fell asleep. As soon as his body hit the floor, four figures entered the room, three wearing black cloaks and one wearing the white ritual robe.

“Are you sure you want to do it like this, Iolanthe?” One of the black cloaked figures asked with the voice of Draco.

“It’s fine.” Iolanthe, dressed in white said stepping into the outer circle of the ritual leaving the other three outside.

“I think you should have told him.” Astoria’s voice came from under another black cloak.

“You saw how he reacted when you told him about my uncontrolled Magic. I think if he knew what I wanted to do with it, then he would have protested. He doesn’t love me, I know, but he is willing to do anything for me. So, it’s ok if he doesn’t know.” Iolanthe said with a sad smile looking at the sleeping figure of his Husband trapped in the inner circle of the ritual. “Let’s begin.”

Luna, the last black cloaked person, was the first to move to her designated place for the ritual. Just like that time when they studied the Dementor, Luna implicitly trusted Iolanthe in all she did even if that meant hurting herself. But Luna knew. After they discovered what the Trinisette was truly about, they had no other choice but to sacrifice what could be sacrificed. Draco and Astoria didn’t say anything anymore and also moved to their places outside the circle with Iolanthe inside the outer circle.

The Ritual was constructed in two part. The first one, was the inside, where the Elemental Runes representing the Dying Will Flames and the objects representing the Arcobalenos where. That part was very simple with just a Sacrificial Ritual inlaid in it. What was complicated was the outer part where Iolanthe stood. This part was going to activate after being infused with Magic coming from the three in the outside to form the Ward that was going to wrap around the Pacifier and containing the Arcobaleno curse for the span of a week just like how they have planned.

Iolanthe’s role in this Ritual was very special. Wherever there is Order there is Chaos. However, to disrupt the Balance, a price must be paid and as such Iolanthe was going to sacrifice part of her Magic to complete the Ward for isolating the Pacifier and by consequence the Arcobaleno Curse. Sacrificing Magic was completely forbidden even inside the practices of Sacrificial Magic, after all, nobody was willing to give up a part of their being; it was like giving up an arm or a leg when you have use of it. And let’s not talk about the repercussions sacrificing Magic had on a person. So no, Iolanthe wasn’t going to let Reborn know what she was going to do when she herself didn’t know what would happen after she sacrificed her Magic.

The Ritual itself was formulated to represent the Order of the World with Draco, Astoria and Luna acting as pillars for the Balance by constantly and evenly infusing Magic to the Ritual and Iolanthe was acting as Chaos, the disruptor, the sacrifice and the guide.

Nodding at the same time, the three outside began their long chants. Magic started accumulating and filling the outer layer of the circle while Iolanthe distributed it around her, lighting up the Runes and beginning forming the Ward while chanting her own words. Time passed and the Magic kept gathering up; Iolanthe had rivulets of sweat coming down her face and soaking her body which was trembling by the pressure of the Magic but she persevered until the three stopped their chants giving her a second to breath before her next action.

The other three watched solemnly at Iolanthe taking out the Elder Wand; the only wand powerful enough to help Iolanthe with this Ritual. She swished it this way and that way giving form to the Magic that was turning into a dome above the inner circle where the objects representing the Arcobalenos began to burn by the magic of the Elemental Runes. The only one still intact was Reborn himself who was silently floating inside, the Elemental Rune below him burning, too, representing his Flames.

The reason why they didn’t use his Flames directly was because if he had used them, then the Ward wouldn’t have that Confounding aspect around the Pacifier making it revolt against the Ward and wasting their effort in creating the Ward.

When the Ward finally had its physical or visible form, Iolanthe was panting not only because of the exertion of moving that huge amount of Magic but also because she needed to expertly control it to leave a small amount to act as the ‘knife’ that would cut her Magic for the sacrifice. Taking a last deep breath, she entered the final step.

“ _Oh, di, ignosce me quia dissipant ordo mondi. Obsecro, accepio hoc sacrificium ostendere paenitudo mea et adepto vestri bonae voluntatis.”_

It was a good thing that they had taken measures before this ritual with a Silencing Ward because Iolanthe’s screams after she finished her last chant were horrifying enough to give nightmares to anyone, even the most hard-hearted person. Blood flowed down from her chest, right below her collarbone where something like a Rune was forming. Draco could easily identify the Rune as a Moon Glyph, the Glyph for Balance. That gave him the idea that maybe these Glyphs were used by the gods once upon a time and now those gods were marking Iolanthe as the person who went against them.

Focused on Iolanthe’s suffering and lost in their own thoughts, the three paid no attention at what was happening inside the dome in the inner circle. After Iolanthe sacrificed her Magic, the dome lit up with thousands upon thousand of little Runes and Glyphs etched in it, and began to shrink around the Pacifier which trembled in rebellion only to be subdued by the force of the Ward and ended up laying quietly around Reborn’s neck; a Reborn who steadily grew until he regained his original form. And despite everything that happened around him, he still slept peacefully.

Finally the Magic dissipated, the Ritual over.

Draco, Astoria and Luna ran towards Iolanthe who was laying on a puddle of blood that dripped from the Glyph on her chest. Her eyes were wide open and she let out short whimpers of pain which she tried very hard to forced down her throat though she was very unsuccessful. When her eyes focused on her friends there was only one word she managed to stutter out before falling unconscious. “Renato…”

Astoria and Luna stayed with Iolanthe to clean away the blood while Draco went to check on Iolanthe’s Husband. A throughout check up on his body told Draco that everything was working fine and that there were no complications. Directly looking at the man’s face, Draco thought with a bit of schadenfreude that Iolanthe was in for a very hectic week. Right, better not think that way about his friend and her Husband, those were things for them to do in private.

Levitating both their bodies and with the help of a basilisk to open the secret door to the fourth floor -who was previously instructed by Iolanthe to wait for them-, they left the couple on the bed after they put some nightwear on them and quickly made their way out once they confirmed that Iolanthe’s wound was no longer bleeding and was even starting to heal.

“Ok, it’s time we do our stuff.” Luna said with the usual dreamy voice while they walked down the stairs towards their rooms.

“Right, go pack and go on a vacation together with the kids because those two need some time alone.” Draco seconded.

“Is it alright for us to leave?” Asked Astoria.

“They will be leaving for the Potter’s Ancestral Home up in Scotland anyway, so we are just giving them a Honeymoon gift by relieving them of the task of taking care of the kids.” Draco dismissed. Iolanthe had already told him her plans and he wholeheartedly agreed with her.

Astoria paused to think about it and nodded letting the matter go. “And then, where are we going?”

“Oh, I got that covered! It was really hard to get tickets for that and I believe the kids will totally love it!” Luna chirped. For some reason, the other two were a bit uneasy with Luna’s enthusiasm. “I managed to get tickets for a rather obscure cruise trip to the Bermuda Triangle! Isn’t it awesome?”

Yes, they were going to die on this trip.

 

…

 

In different parts of the world: China, Italy and Japan. Five rays of light enveloped five people who had suffered the same fate of the Arcobaleno Curse. After the light dissipated, their normal forms had returned to their bodies.

“How is it? You found it?” A very flamboyant man asked the cloaked person before him.

For the last couple of minutes after recovering their body, the cloaked person had been trying to find out who was it that had dispelled the Curse. No, it wasn’t dispelled because they could still the connection with the Pacifier, it was just dormant. They wanted to find the person who had put the Pacifier into that state to ask how they did it and how long it would last yet the search through spiritual picture hadn’t bore any fruits.

“Muu, it’s not working. This person is too powerful.” The cloaked person said looking at the weird symbol on the paper. “This symbol… we better investigate it.”

“VOOOIIIIII!!! I found some juicy gossip, you trash!”

“What did you find, Squalo?” The flamboyant man asked the loud man who has just gotten into the room.

“Hm? Is that you Mammon?” Squalo asked eyeing the cloaked person with suspicion yet knowing deep down that it was their Mist Officer. “Doesn’t matter. I found out something very interesting from the Vongola’s Best Hitman, Reborn.” The shark like smile promised some good gossip for the other two.

 


	28. Good morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after the Ritual.
> 
> Iolanthe is taking little steps with her task while Reborn is trying to take huge steps towards taking her to bed.
> 
> The former is doing well, the latter... not so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This author is feeling better after beginning treatment so I am able to post this chapter.
> 
> For those who expected naughty stuff, then wait for next chapter but you will see how they finally react to each other with Reborn's normal body in the game. 
> 
> Reborn really knows how to make Iolanthe react yet he is also a gentleman, never forget that my readers, not just a good bed partner :D 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

 

Reborn opened his eyes feeling well rested. He had had some weird dream about him being in a Ritual that would give him his body back; he did hear some screaming that sounded very much like his Wife at the end of his dream but that was not possible. There was no way Iolanthe would be screaming bloody murder after spending a nice Samhain with everybody. So, he relaxed, closed his eyes and got comfortable hugging his Wife’s waist and reveling in the smell coming from… her hair.

_Wait a minute._

He opened his eyes again and that’s when he noticed that the position was different. All this time he had very happily awoken to the softness of her bosom, how is it that this time he could see the top of her head and still be able to hug her waist? What’s more, Iolanthe’s leg was thrown over his middle, delightfully pressing him to her. This… It was real. It wasn’t a dream, he really got his body back. Rising his hand, he could see that it was not that pudgy hand with short fingers but the big hand with long fingers he had long ago. It was not only that, he could notice that his body was not small anymore. A little spark of euphoria was born inside him but he calmed down rather quickly.

Looking down at Iolanthe, Reborn felt that everything was different.

Before, he would be safely ensconced in his Wife’s embrace comfortably leaning on her chest but it looked like it was her turn to be buried in his chest. Before, she would wake up to his sleeping face because his toddler body never allowed him to wake up earlier than her, though at that moment he was the one waking up to her sleeping face. Also, he hadn’t noticed it but Iolanthe was actually shorter than she looked or maybe he had somehow forgotten how tall he actually was compared to others.

Well, what didn’t change was her having nightmares from time to time and him appeasing her; wrong, that was also different. Before, he could only gently pat her head to comfort her but with his normal body back, he could actually rub her back while patting her head whispering reassurances to her ear.

“It’s ok, you are fine. It’s just a nightmare, wake up, Iolanthe.”

And as always she would wake up startled only to hug him. A smirk formed on his face when he felt her pause also noticing the changes in the bed dynamics.

“Are you awake?” His voice came out gruff from sleep making her stiffen. All he got from her was a nod. “Hm, good morning, Iolanthe, time to get up.” Oh, he was really enjoying it all. Iolanthe was able to see his real form while he was an Arcobaleno but it was one thing seeing than actually feeling. She very slowly retrieved her leg and once that was done, she rapidly rolled to the side entangling herself in the blankets and falling down from the bed. “What are you doing, Iolanthe?” He chuckled. She had gone back to how she was at the beginning; when they were newly married and she was a nervous mess with his flirting.

“Nothing!” She replied from the floor. “I just tripped, give me a moment.” And so he could hear her scuffle with the blankets while she untangled herself. With a smile on his face, he saw how a head of black curls appeared from the side of the bed and peeked at him. “Can you pass me my glasses?” Alright, he had to admit that she was even cuter like this but he was not one for little games when they were already Husband and Wife so he deftly climbed down from the bed and walked towards her.

“Come, you. Let’s take a shower.” He said picking her up and purposefully walking towards the bathroom.

“Wait, wait, wait! No, stop, Renato!” She flailed around but he wouldn’t budge. He had been wanting to do this for so long and he didn’t have much time to indulge in his Wife. Only a week. Though, he had underestimated Iolanthe’s stubbornness when she sent him flying out of the bathroom as soon as he put her down.

Reborn groaned and did the only thing he could do: he pleaded in front of the door. “Come on, Iolanthe, it’s just a shower. We have been bathing for a long time, a shower is no different.”

“It is different!” She yelled in complaint but he could hear she was flustered.

“How is it different? We were naked and sharing the same water.” He teased. It was obvious he wouldn’t be able to shower with her that day but he wouldn’t let her off that easily. She laughed nervously at his words.

“It is different. Before you were a toddler, there wasn’t much to look at but now you’re…”

“I am what?” He prompted. It was obvious she was having difficulties expressing herself but they were married, things like these shouldn’t be kept to oneself. Reborn had no qualms in being shameless because he was very confident in himself unlike Iolanthe who was inexperienced. So it was his job to improve her own self-worth, to let her know that he was really interested in her. Seconds went by and he thought that she wouldn’t answer but to his surprise, the door opened showing a Iolanthe still wrapped in the blankets.

“You are my Husband so it’s fine if we share a shower.” She said with a mosquito voice.

Reborn sighed. Even if she had found the courage to shower together, she still looked so afraid to do it. Perhaps she had the misconception that showering together would lead to other things she wasn’t ready for. He admitted that his original plan was to have some fun in the shower but seeing her like this, only a desire to protect her bloomed in his heart. Fine, this time she would let her go but he still needed to teach her that if she was unwilling then he wouldn’t force her and that he respected her if she said no.

He didn’t want to sleep with the snakes the whole week for being a brute, thank you very much.

Taking her hand, he led her stiff body to the shower and after peeling that blanket -under which there was already nothing covering her- she gently pushed her into the shower with her back facing him to then step in himself.

Iolanthe stood ramrod stiff in the shower, with her heart beating so fast she could hear it in her ears. Her mind was a mess and she waited for what was to come. She felt very stupid being like that but she wasn’t still ready for it. Waking up to his original body in the bed was expected yet she wasn’t prepared to face reality; while laying down she could finally feel that muscled body she had seen in its blurred form, the warmth emanating from that body and the musky smell that only came from a man. She instantly felt bothered and tried her best to hide it from him yet it seemed in the end she wasn’t able to escape.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw a pair of pajama pants joining the blanket Reborn had taken off of her. Her breath hitched and she tightly closed her eyes. She felt his body leaned on hers and that hot feeling returned in full force only to be doused by the warm water from the shower. She opened her eyes in surprise, not understanding what had just happened and wanted to turn to ask her Husband what he was doing. Weren’t they…

“Don’t move.” He ordered her. She paused.

“But…” she still wanted to know. She turned her head only to be stopped by Reborn’s hands not letting her look at him. “Renato?”

“Don’t move, Iolanthe. We are having a shower, so we will just shower.” He clarified. Iolanthe felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders and deflated a bit. His sincere words meant so much to her that she almost collapsed in relief. This relief reminded her how much she truly loved this man and this act of doing exactly what he said they were doing without trying to deceive her or the like just added to those sweet feelings. But she still felt there was a problem.

“I still am nervous with having you behind me.” She confessed. After all, the notion that there was a naked man behind her couldn’t simply be erased by a few words, no matter how sweet and sensible.

“Well, if you turn around, you won’t only be nervous but scared too.” He laughed bitterly. If she turned around, he wouldn’t be able to hide his reaction to having her so close and without an inch of clothes covering her body yet not able to do anything. At least he was relieved that it still worked. And so, to distract himself from his problem, he went about the business of showering while Iolanthe did the same; a bit jerkily clearly understanding what was going on with him.

When Iolanthe was done with her shower, it was her turn to be thrown out of the bathroom by Reborn who wanted to solve his problem alone, with cold water. Iolanthe’s heart was still beating like crazy but she had already calmed down enough to change into some comfortable clothes and then going around the room packing their stuff to go to the Potter Ancestral Home which she thought was the perfect place to do their creating-a-baby business. Her face flushed remembering that and she almost dropped the box of jewelry she was carrying to put into a big trunk.

“Are we moving?” Asked Reborn right behind her. This time she really let go of the box being startled by his voice; however, Reborn reacted fast and easily caught the box. Though in the process, he had surrounded her in his arms. “Are you alright, Iolanthe? You have been very jumpy since you woke up.” He asked with a low voice.

Iolanthe couldn’t take it anymore and collapsed on the floor covering her crimson face. “Do you have any idea, Renato, what you are doing to me?” She asked with a muffled voice. Instead of an answer or any words from him, her hands were moved aside, her face was lifted and she didn’t have time to be surprised when a pair of lips fell on hers instantly leaving her breathless by the expert and sensual movements. She could barely respond in kind and feel those lips before they had already left her mouth.

“And do YOU have any idea what you are doing to me?” His breath ghosted on her still tingling lips, her hazy eyes looking straight at those dark eyes that were filled with many emotions. “You must know, Iolanthe,” he continued, his thumb rubbing those rosy lips he had just kissed. “That I am a man of action. Whatever I want, I get it. But because it is you, I am waiting for the moment you are ready. However, if you continue acting like a silly teenager in love, then you will find that my patience can be rather short.”

His words entered her messy mind making it halt. She was left on the floor to think about what he had just said and she felt like crying in frustration. She was more frustrated at herself though; she knew, she knew  that she would face her Husband with his original form the day after the Ritual and then for a week. But she still had reacted so awkwardly. She thought she was prepared yet found that she wasn’t, at all. It wasn’t wrong of her to react like a woman very much in love with her Husband though what she had been doing was evading him and that could also affect the man.

It seemed Reborn didn’t mind much her behavior but he was right. He couldn’t wait for her to get herself together for too long. Wouldn’t that damaged the budding relationship they had already built up with effort that included talking, fighting and making up? She couldn’t continue like that. Reborn had been a gentleman by giving her time to pick herself up from the pit she was wallowing in, she didn’t want his gesture to be wasted. But it was hard. She had never felt this level of emotions before. She had discovered that her crush with Zabini greatly paled in comparison with how much in love she was with Reborn.

Perhaps she had gotten used to her Husband being a toddler and the both being in a state of nothing can happen between them but with his body back to normal, they got into a state of everything can happen. And happen they will! She hadn’t gone through all that trouble of giving him his body back for her to cowardly run away. It wasn’t like her to run away from troubles, troubles would always find her and right now trouble came in the form of her Husband. So yes, it was time she faced them.

Reborn was very calmly picking his clothes because it seemed they were moving to another house; what with the trunk filled with Iolanthe’s clothes and jewelry. He still didn’t know where they would be leaving to but he was no stranger to making last minutes trips and already knew what to pack and what not to. He wanted to ask Iolanthe if it was going to be a permanent move or a temporary one; however, she was still sitting on the floor where he left her.

He inwardly sighed. Maybe he shouldn’t have said those words to pressure her.

It was just somewhat frustrating for him who had spent years and years stuck in a toddler’s body to be avoided by the person with whom he was going to spend his life. He couldn’t speak about love with her, yet he could now be a man for her and she goes and acts like that. He sighed again. Ok, it was not fair for her since she didn’t know much about the affairs between a man and a woman and he accepted he had been very impatient because it had been so long but… but he never thought that seeing a Iolanthe in love could be this arousing.

His thoughts halted when he felt thin arms wrapping around his middle. Well, it looks like Iolanthe finally decided what to do but he still kept going around the wardrobe taking out his stuff, waiting.

“Renato.” She called.

“Yes, Iolanthe?”

“I love you.” Reborn paused. He couldn’t reply to that but it seemed she wasn't expecting him to reply and continued, “I’m sorry for what happened. It’s just, you… youaretoohandsomeandIloveyouandIdon’tknowwhattodobutpleasedon’thateme.” She rushed at the end.

Reborn wasn’t prepared for that and didn’t understand what she had said. “Could you repeat that?”

“I won’t repeat it! If you didn’t hear it, then that’s your problem.” She retorted.

“Ok, ok, don’t repeat it.” He chuckled then turned around to witness a flustered and pouty Iolanthe who was looking straight at him with such a fierce gaze that his heart skipped a beat thinking that maybe he had done something wrong. Dispelling that thought from his head, he handsomely smiled at her making her blush but she still stubbornly kept looking at him. “So, can you tell me then where we are going and for how long?” He inquired placing an unruly curl behind her ear.

“Ah, we are going to the Potter’s Ancestral Home in Scotland. I asked the Goblins to renovate it like half a year ago and luckily they finished it on time. This past week I sent Kreacher up there to fill it with the furniture I bought in France. I really emptied half a vault buying all that stuff plus food and some homey decorations. If you like it, then we can stay and live there. Farid can come, too.” Well, it seemed he got his Wife back.

“We will first have to check it up before making plans, Iolanthe. Besides, we have other business to attend to before letting Farid come with us.” He gently reminded her.

“Oh, yeah.” Her voice went just a notch higher. “Oh my God, yes! She can’t come for now, what are we going to do with her?! Where will she stay?!” And then she panicked. _Truly a Gryffindor at heart_ , he thought.

“Calm down, Iolanthe. Haven’t you checked the Wards? There is nobody in the house. I am guessing they left to give us some privacy.” He purred, his hands deftly making their way to her hips, naughtily and teasingly moving up and down the curves of her waist. Iolanthe shivered at the touch, her mind screaming at her to calm down, to breath.

“You-you are right.” She cleared her throat which had suddenly gotten dry. “Then, maybe we should finish packing and leave too?”

Her demure behavior struck something in Reborn that he couldn’t stop leaning for another kiss. It was slow, lingering as if wanting to memorize the shape of her lips locked with his and this time she instantly reciprocated. It was perfect for their rather new situation since there was not any touching involved, just their lips and their breath. Yet when Reborn wanted to separate, Iolanthe complained.

“No. Don’t.” And then it was her who initiated the kiss, only, it was even more intense.

She happily clung to his neck and even pressed him against the wardrobe behind him. His hands couldn’t remain well-behaved this time and they made their way towards her perkiness which he could perfectly feel thanks to Iolanthe’s pants which were thinner than they seemed. Reborn took advantage of it, pinching and squeezing making her moan in their joined lips. And when tongue was invested in the kiss, she was starting to lose her mind, her hands looking for something to grab to tether her to her last bit of rationality. However, it seemed she didn’t need to because something broke her out of her haziness.

“Renato.” She breathlessly uttered.

“Hm?” Her Husband hummed back very busy kissing and nibbling her neck, one of his hands already inside her blouse, slowly but surely making its way towards her bra.

“Renato, it’s poking.” She said flustered.

“What?” He unwilling separated from her neck to look at her with wide blown eyes and cheeks tinted with a light shade of pink.

“Your… it’s poking me.” She even pointedly looked down letting Reborn understand because he could feel it, too.

He dejectedly sighed leaning his head on her shoulder. “I guess there won’t be any action, yet.”

Iolanthe laughed at his defeated voice and even though she felt a bit sorry for him, she still wanted to gather up a bit more courage to get to that step. She was sure that there wouldn’t be anything in the morning but who knew in the afternoon or at night. One thing she was sure of was that she had become addicted to his kisses and she wasn’t afraid to let him know by constantly searching for his lips while they continued packing. Though they did more kissing that packing and she gave up the task by flicking her hand to let things pack themselves to dedicate more time to their heavy petting.

These sessions helped her immensely with getting used to Reborn’s reactions and she confirmed that he truly was waiting for her to be ready for him. Many times she wanted to tell him that she was actually ready but something stopped her at the last second; it had become increasingly frustrating for her yet she didn’t want to rush this.

They had to put a stop to their activities and really get on with the morning. After confirming that there really wasn’t anybody in the house, they made their way downstairs towards the kitchen to get something to eat -like real food and not each other- once they arranged their messy clothes.

“Oh, it seems the others went on a trip.” Iolanthe said reading the note left on the kitchen table with Draco’s elegant calligraphy until she read where they had gone to courtesy of Luna and she laughed herself silly earning the attention of Reborn who picked up the note she had dropped, reading it too.

“The Bermuda Triangle? Isn’t that place…” A hint of concern entered his heart thinking of his daughter going to such mysterious and dangerous -if the stories were believed- place.

“Don’t worry. If Luna prepared the trip, then it’s going to be fine. I’m sure they will make unforgettable memories there.” Iolanthe assuredly smiled at him letting his worry leave his body. While eating the breakfast she had cooked for the both of them, she read Draco’s note again.

“Damn Draco leaving stuff for me to do.” She grumbled. “We need to go to the Ministry again. Today, 1st, is the day when the Lords and Ladies submit new proposals to be reviewed by the Chief Warlock and then discussed collectively on the 20th of the month by the whole Wizengamot. Mostly it’s new laws and boring politics to make the Lords and Ladies more powerful. We are submitting petitions and a few notices. First, that there will be someone from the Potter and Black line coming back to the Wizengamot and…” she paused, a mischievous smile forming on her lips. “Second, to reinstate Lord Malfoy to his seat.”

Reborn had to admit he was surprised by her last words. It was obvious that to do what she had to do with the Community, then she needed to take up the mantle of her Houses but… ”How do you plan to reinstate Lucius Malfoy to his seat? Wasn’t he banned from doing any political work? Basically he is exiled from the whole Community.” He had read in many past articles and been explained by Draco the true state of his Family.

“Yes, but because those old coots always wanted to be in power there are laws, forgotten and well hidden laws, regarding the reinstatement of a Lord to the Wizengamot; we just need the seal of three Most Ancient and Noble Houses for the petition to be valid. Guess whose seals are in that petition?” She asked brilliantly smiling at him.

“Why, of course, yours.” He replied grabbing her hand and kissing it making her blush.

She coughed then continued while playing with his fingers. “Well, yes. We wanted to use the Prince House from Draco, who had to rush to complete his Mastery but there were two problems with that; one, the documents certifying him as a Potions Master have not come yet and two, we recently discovered that Eileen Prince, Severus Snape’s Mother was no longer recognized as a Prince Daughter by the late Lord Prince resulting in the whole House to downgrade to Ancient and Noble since there were no suitable Heirs in the House.” She paused taking notice of what she was doing with his hand.

Reborn smirked and teasingly placed his other hand in front of her. “Here, play with both hands.” Iolanthe felt a bit mortified yet she still reached for his other hand to knead, too. She really liked the feeling of his long fingers and rough palm.

“Anyway,” she went on. “That’s what happens when you rely on pureblood bigotry. The Potter House should have been downgraded too due to my Pureblood Dad marrying my Muggleborn Mom, according to Pureblood law. But Potter rules stipulate that any child born in the House, boy or girl, could be a rightful Heir or Heiress as long as they have Magic. Such rule stemmed from the fact the Potters could only manage to birth one child in each generation so they didn’t care what status the child had; be it Halfblood, Pureblood, I think it doesn’t even matter if the child has Creature blood.”

Yes, this was the reason why Reborn didn’t want to put his hands into all this politics mess. It wasn’t only country politics but House politics too. He could learn all of them if he wanted to; he had already begun doing it by asking Draco during that week they were fellow victims of Iolanthe’s pranks but that didn’t mean he wanted to be part of all this hubbub. Basically, he had only been learning to support Iolanthe. Who would have thought it would come in handy due to Iolanthe’s new quest?

“And then, your petition is being supported by your three Houses, won’t that be problem?”

“Our three Houses,” she corrected him to then pause to think. “I guess it could be with all that hogwash of the Savior and Dark Families and whatnot but it is not impossible; the three seals are already there, do they have any right to complain?”

Reborn felt that Iolanthe gave a different aura. She had always being intense, radiant yet now there was something soothing in her, composed and confident. However, it somehow made her more dangerous. Before, you could feel that great power, that threat in her but it was suddenly hidden; you truly couldn’t really tell how dangerous she actually was. He didn’t know why the sudden change in her and if he liked it or not. Though since it was Iolanthe, she would be fine in his eyes.

Anyway, that thought was thrown to the back of his head when they got ready to go out. Their stuff was shrunk for convenience’s sake and they readily made their way to the Ministry through the Floo. Reborn was already registered in the Ministry -even if he didn’t have a wand-, so he was able to enter the Ministry freely.

Same as always, the moment they stepped into the Atrium people started to gawk and point at them. Though, Reborn could hear that it wasn’t just because the great Iolanthe Potter had visited the Ministry but also because of what they were wearing.

Magicals in Britain had a peculiar sense of fashion with their gaudy robes and out of date clothes so seeing newer designs was in a way not easily accepted between them. Reborn looked at Iolanthe and thought that both of them looked rather well. His Wife was wearing a teal dress with a bodice-like top that accentuated her curves even more and an A line lower part that he didn’t know what it was made of but it moved to make her look as if she was gliding. Her hair was combed into a simple bun with no decorations on her head except for the stud pearl earrings.

He had asked why they needed to dress up for this trip to the Ministry and she said it was because reporters are always present when the Lords were submitting the proposals. It is to leak the news of what would possibly come in the Wizarding World and gather support from the people. Realistically, the Wizengamot didn’t need the public’s support to decide which law would pass but it gave some Lords the excuse and argument that the people were asking for the law to be passed. More than once the tactic worked even if at the end it wouldn’t really benefit the public. It was like teasing a kid with a candy they will never get.

So, Reborn joined Iolanthe with this dressing up code and donned a black waistcoat pinstripe suit with a white shirt, no tie and a matching fedora adorning his head angled in a way that obscured half his face. Iolanthe even excitedly told him to use the new bluchers she bought for him because she had bought a pair for her too; she liked the idea to match something with him. She had even bought matching burgundy suits for the two and was even proud of it. Reborn didn’t know under what circumstances they would use those suits but he liked them.

Reaching the administrative offices of the Wizengamot, they could already hear the noise of chattering and when they entered, all that noise subsided. Iolanthe moved with purpose, Reborn following behind not wanting to rob her of her spotlight and also to protect her from any attack. With politicians you never knew or maybe he was too used to Mafia politics where being attacked while talking wasn’t weird. The noise instantly reached a peak when Iolanthe voiced the reason for being there.

“Lady Potter, Lady Black and Duchess Peverell here to submit a notice and a petition.”

The reporters who were interviewing the other Lords quickly ditched them to hound Iolanthe with questions not even waiting for the person behind the desk to confirm words with her. Seeing their actions, Reborn quietly moved closer to her.

“What petition are you submitting, Lady Potter?”

“Lady Potter, it was believed that you were not interested in anything regarding your Ladyships, what changed your mind?”

“Lady Potter…”

Those and many more questions were shot at Iolanthe who completely ignored them and tried her best to finish the procedure to submit her papers. Done with it, she found she had already been surrounded by dozens of people that she only had the mind to quickly leave the place. Without having the chance to look at him, Reborn knew her thoughts and grasping her hand, they made their way out of the throng of people. Finally noticing the man beside her, the reporters started to throw questions at him too. Many didn’t know who the man was at first until a quick-witted reporter guessed this man was Iolanthe Potter’s Husband.

“Mr. Sinclair, what do you think about your Wife’s position to enter the Wizengamot?”

That was clearly a direct jab towards Reborn. The reporter didn’t even acknowledged him as Lord Potter or any of his other titles. Most likely because he was thought to be a common Muggle and by consequence not apt to partake in Wizarding politics of any kind. Reborn didn’t mind that he wasn’t taken seriously by all these monkeys yet what he didn’t like and hated above all was people calling him by his name. Only Iolanthe had that right.

So, it wasn’t surprising that he stopped in the middle of their escape and turned to look at that reporter. “Whatever she does, she has my full support; in fact, you should actually be grateful that she is bothering herself in trying to improve your backwards society. Print that for me so the public knows what outsiders, as you think of me, really think of your Community and be ashamed of yourselves.”

The two easily came out of the gaping crowd, no one noticing that an inconspicuous Leon sitting atop Reborn’s fedora almost swallowed a bug that was flying around them. The bug hastily ran away and that action actually saved its life because the Hitman’s eyes were fixed on it and if it had continued to follow them then he wouldn’t have minded burning it.  

Coming out of the administrative offices, the two got into a lift that was luckily empty. Reborn didn’t have the time to take a breath when the next second he had an armful of Iolanthe who shared some love and started kissing him. He wasn’t going to complain; the more he could taste her, the better. It was too bad they were in a public place and couldn’t continue with their sweet activities but that didn’t stop Iolanthe from airing her thoughts.

“Have I ever told you how amazing you are?” She asked a bit breathless.

“My mind has been emptied by my quite daring Wife, so I might have forgotten.” He cheekily replied.

She chuckled. Fixing the askew jacket from their recent kissing, she said, “Well, you are. Not only amazing but very considerate of me, truly caring, let’s not forget handsome and very dangerous. It seems you are perfect for me.” She shamelessly praised him with a loving smile.

There were many times, lately, that Reborn found himself speechless before her words and it was a bit awkward for him to just stand there and receive them without saying anything back. He couldn’t, he really couldn’t say he loved her but maybe there were other words he could say to her. Looking at those sparkling green eyes hidden behind quirky glasses, he thought there were few words to describe her and for now he would have to make do in saying: “I’m perfect for you and there’s only you for me.”

And it seemed those words were enough to make Iolanthe light up and shine with happiness. Though their bubble of happiness was popped when people entered the lift. Only then they noticed they had been going from floor to floor inside the lift and were now in level seven.

“By the way, Iolanthe,” Reborn whispered in her ear to not alert the focused group who had just entered arguing about the Quidditch League, “is there a way people can forget about my name? I am not comfortable with anyone other than you knowing it.”

“Draco, Luna, Sirius and Remus also know it, what’s the harm in more people knowing?” She whispered back.

Reborn squeezed her hand. Turning to him, she noticed the seriousness in his expression. “I mean it. I don’t want people to know my name.” Iolanthe paused to think. She did not expect him to be this adamant in nobody knowing his name.

“We can use the Fidelius to keep it a secret. Everybody will forget about it.” She mused.

“Can you cast it as soon as we arrive at the Potter Home?” He asked with urgency.

“I can but…” she bit her lip and gave him a sad look. “I will forget about your name too if it’s me casting the Fidelius with you as the Secret Keeper.” Even if it was only for a moment, her forgetting his name felt wrong. She had always known it, from the moment he presented himself at her door. And now that she loved him, she wanted to keep it to herself. She had become greedy when it came to him so no, not even for a second she wanted to forget his name.

Reborn couldn’t bear to see her this sad and thought of another way. “Then ask someone else and you be the Secret Keeper.”

Hearing they had arrived at level four, the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, gave Iolanthe an idea and pulling her Husband, they left the lift before the doors closed. The Department was calm with the usual paper airplanes flying here and there and the rustle of pages coming from some cubicles. The labyrinthine nature of the offices gave Iolanthe a hard time looking for the person she needed and only after minutes, she succeeded.

“Hermione!”

Said witched startled behind her desk where she was perusing some documents at begin called so suddenly. “Iolanthe? I… it’s good to see you!” The bushy-haired witch put herself together and strung up a decent greeting. “This is?” She asked eyeing the man behind Iolanthe. She had never seen him before.

“This is my Husband,” Iolanthe casually presented. “Hermione please do me a favor.” And then asked.

“Wait, wait, your Husband? But I read…” she trailed not sure if she could say what she had read in the newspapers, many things were speculations from the writers than seemed veiled offenses. Also, she had seen at Hogwarts, during that press conference, how the baby who had claimed himself to be Iolanthe’s husband killed a person without batting an eyelid.

“Doesn’t matter what you read, you know the papers never get the right information. Though I enjoyed Parvati’s story on how I met my Husband.” Truly a piece of art that story. It was so romantic even she cringed at the cheesiness. “I knew she had it in her to create such outlandish stories and I would really like to see who her partner would be…”

“Iolanthe.” Reborn softly called her out letting her know she was deviating from the main topic.

She sheepishly grinned at him. “Sorry.”

Hermione curiously watched the short exchange between the two and she felt adequately awkward being the third wheel. So she coughed to get Iolanthe’s attention. “And so, what is the favor you want me to do for you?” She accepted she was pleasantly surprise by her visit and after Neville’s scolding about two weeks ago, she thought things through and admitted she hadn’t been the best of friends towards Iolanthe’s decision. Before she knew it, the two had already distanced from the other too much that the Iolanthe in front of her looked totally different. She even had a Husband.

“Right, yes, I need you to cast the Fidelius.” Iolanthe said in one go.

“The Fidelius? Don’t you also know to cast it?” Hermione asked surprised.

“Yes, I can but I am going to be the Secret Keeper so I need someone else to cast it for me.” Iolanthe explained.

“Can’t he…” Hemione eyed the man who had no intention to meddle in their conversation and was looking at her with disapproving eyes. Hermione wanted to duck her head ashamed but she forced herself not to do so. She was conscious of what she had done the moment the news of Iolanthe’s marriage had come out. She could even recall her own claims of Iolanthe hiding her Husband from her friends when the man -a toddler back then- was sitting right in front of them. She thought the toddler was Teddy paying a visit to Iolanthe though it seemed she was wrong in her assumptions.

So the Husband had witnessed hers and Ron’s embarrassing behavior.

“He can’t, different Magick, can’t say anything, Statute of Secrecy and all that rot.” Iolanthe vaguely reply but Hermione still nodded, understanding.

“Alright, I will cast it for you then.” Hermione agreed. “You know how it works; think about what you want to keep a secret while I cast the Charm.” And then went down to business taking her wand out not even asking what the secret was about. Hermione was aware that it wasn’t her right to know. Not when she was only an amicable acquaintance to Iolanthe. She had no one to blame but herself.

Iolanthe nodded indicating she was ready and Hermione immediately started casting the Fidelius Charm which was a very short process; in less than a minute, the matter was done.

“It’s done.” Hermione confirmed. “Do you… still need my help with something else?” Subconsciously, she went back to how she was as a child: someone who needed to be useful so she could strike up a friendship with someone.

“Thank you but I think we are good,” Iolanthe replied to which Hermione minutely deflated but perked up with Iolanthe’s following words. “Actually, there is something else I need help with.” Only to end up stunned at her request. “Can you please get me a couple of House-elves?”

As soon as she had graduated, Hermione had done her best to promote the welfare of these beings. It was a slow process that had seen progress these past few months. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand what the House-elves did and their basic nature yet she still hoped that people saw them not as punching bags to release their frustration and anger but as beings that lived to please those they call Master.

So, taking a deep breath, she calmed down and nodded. She trusted that Iolanthe wouldn’t mistreat the House-elves she would get, she was even good to grumpy Kreacher so enough was said. Her Husband was another story, though she thought Iolanthe wouldn’t allow him to treat House-elves badly.

“Is there a requirement for the type of House-elves you need? There are some who received focused training in one area in specific like cooking, cleaning, even gardening.” Hermione informed while going about the process of filling out a form to acquire a House-elf. Unbound House-elves freely worked in the Ministry until someone asked for one and Hermione didn’t know until recently that these Creatures were trained by senior House-elves that hailed from Ancient Houses that no longer existed.

“Uh, cleaning, I guess, and gardening. Is there… uh, is there a House-elf that can help with raising kids?” By the end of her question, Iolanthe’s face was completely red. Hermione paused in her writing and glanced at Iolanthe who was fidgeting nervously and her Husband who was trying his best not to look smug. Hermione could feel her face getting hot by the implication of Iolanthe’s question and refrained from asking.

“There are,” she coughed standing up and walking to a cabinet that had the files of every House-elf apt for working. Hermione deftly went through the files looking for some of the newly trained House-elves and some of the most experienced. “I am guessing you want them to look after the Black properties. I am not sure how many houses you have and I remember Sirius mentioning that the Blacks were once owners of a house in every country. Though I think that was an exaggeration, I can assume that there are many of them. So, are you ok with six cleaning House-elves, four for gardening and two for raising kids?”

Iolanthe nodded. “Oh, what about those who can take care of Creatures?”

Hermione gave Iolanthe a meaningful look to which the latter answered with an unrepentant smile. “Four more then. A total of sixteen House-elves. The cleaning House-elves are called Mippy, Miffy, Mitty, Milky, Mimi and Mibby; the gardening ones are called Toty, Popsy, Mopsy and Woksy; the four that take care of Creatures will be Gopy, Joky, Loppy and Docky; finally your nanny House-elves are Petal and Dew.”

Iolanthe was dizzy from the large list of names and Reborn didn’t look any better. Said House-elves appeared as they were named making the small cubicle even smaller being full of the eager Creatures.

“Um, yeah… I will need to work a bit on the names, but they are fine.” She mumbled. “Alright, let’s make the pact then.” She crouched in front of the elves who looked at her wide-eyed. A pact or contract with an elf was simple, it was a mere loyalty vow to the House they would be serving.

It is believed that although House-elves have their own Magic, meaning their own core, they still decided to help Wizards with anything they needed help with. That suggested that unlike other Creatures, they were very friendly and sociable yet Wizards misinterpreted their help and casted upon them the seal of slavery.

Hermione’s work has helped them go back to that time when they were no longer seen as slaves but helpers and even friends.

After the vow was done with the sixteen House-elves, Iolanthe rummaged through her bag, and rummaged some more before taking out a page to then take the page with the House-elves’ names.

Adjusting her glasses, she starter giving her first orders, “Let’s see… Mitty and Popsy, please step forward.” A female and male House-elves respectively walked in front of her. “As the older ones I suppose you know everything about the care a house needs, so you will be put in charge to coordinate with the others to clean and maintain these houses.” She said giving the list of all the houses the Black Family has, together with the address. “If you need any help contact my senior House-elf, Kreacher, who you can find in this house here since my Husband and I will be indisposed for a week.” She pointed at the Black house in Scotland where the Malfoys where. “Anything you want to add, Husband?”

Reborn paused for a bit and then stepped forward to the two House-elves leaning and pointing at a specific house. “Begin your job with this house.”

“The one in Italy? You want to live there?” Asked Iolanthe a bit surprised though she shouldn’t be. He was Italian after all.

“I just think it’s a very nice place.” His unholy smirk promised fun and Chaos and Iolanthe was starting to wonder why he was fixed on that place.

“Ok, I will believe that,” she returned his smirk with a meaningful glance as if asking him or demanding him to spill the beans later. “Ok, for now that is the job you have, all sixteen of you, since my Husband and I are in the middle of vacation. When we are ready to hand some other tasks, I will call you guys, is that ok for you?”

“We does as Master says.” They all replied in unison.

“Right, you guys are the best!” She beamed at them almost sending them to tears. More than one had come from an abusive household so receiving such praise was the first for them. Iolanthe wanted to groan and hoped none of them became another Dobby who was a fanatic. Popping out to begin their jobs, the elves all left. “I guess it’s time for us to go.” Iolanthe announced straightening up and patting her dress from imaginary dust; all their new clothes had Charms to make them impervious to any liquid, dust, stain and they also would never have a wrinkle on them.

“Oh…” Hermione was suddenly taken out of her zone by Iolanthe’s words. “See you, then… and…” She hesitated but decided at the end to keep quiet and force a smile while waving goodbye to the couple.

“It was nice to see you, Hermione. Take care.” Iolanthe said her farewells before pausing. “Also, make sure you do anything you can to transfer to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, specifically, the Administrative Offices of the Wizengamot. There is something only you can do there and I need your help.” She waved goodbye to Hermione and the couple made their way out leaving a stunned Hermione in her cubicle.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At first, I didn't want to make Iolanthe close to either Hermione or Ron but I just realized that even with new friends, intelligent, smart and curnning the lot of them. I just think Hermione is really an awesome person. Just her career and how serious she is about it proves it. So please don't hate me for including her in the Peverell Task, though, she will most likely just be involved in that since the Tast is something of a sub plot in the fic and her current friends will be involve in many more things than just that, so you won't see Hermione much. 
> 
> Will they regain their friendship with this? I don't know. But they will still have the pleasure of working together again.


	29. Potter's Ancestral Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn is introduced to the Potter's Ancestral Home.
> 
> They both finally go down to the making-babies business but there is a twist in between.
> 
> A couple of moments airing some feelings and the much needed apology.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise your hands if you were expecting smut!....
> 
> lol sorry but there is no smut. It isn't that I can't write it but I didn't want to write it here. There is still the suggestive and somewhat explicit description of what is going on but it is nothing that will make you go take a cold shower after reading xD
> 
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the chapter!
> 
> PS. A little bit of warning for my rather horrible descriptive ways. I'm sorry, I suck at describing things xD

* * *

 

Done with the rather tiring morning at the Ministry, the two finally arrived at their new Home. Reborn looked down at the path right in the middle of a forest which led to a cabin-like house that he supposed was the Potter’s Ancestral Home and then looked at Iolanthe who was leading him through a different path while holding his hand. Actually, the path they were taking was not a path. They were walking this and that way, crossing to one side of the main path, crossing to the other side, going around this rock, knocking this tree and finally going through a bush that was not a bush.

“What just happened?” Reborn asked. He had an inkling of why they did everything they did.

“The main path is for those who are already in the Wards. As it’s your first time here, then you needed to go through the long way so the Wards could recognize you as the possessor of the Lord ring. The Potters were not less paranoid than the Blacks, it’s just they were more creative instead of vicious. The labyrinth-like Ward has stages you have to pass and when you pass them, the Wards will start recognizing you as someone part of the Family. Farid will have to through them too.” Iolanthe explained walking the last stretch of the main path and reaching the house.

“What about the guests?” Reborn asked eyeing the house that truly looked like a cabin with its brick and wood style. He could see the renovations Iolanthe did with the high windows around the living room that could be seen from outside.

“You see that small cabin there?” Iolanthe pointed to a small wooden cabin built to the right of the main path. “Guests are taken there. The layout is the same as the actual house but with the bedrooms included, so people think they are inside the real thing. It also works as a guesthouse too because nobody outside Family can enter the actual House. This is the Ancestral Home, so of course many security measures were placed in it; all Ancestral Homes are like that. Now, let’s get in.”

As Reborn went to the trial Wards, the front door easily opened for both the moment they stepped in front of it. They came into the front foyer where there were two doors; the right door was for the coats, hats and such, the left door had cleaning products like mops and brooms. The front foyer was small so he could instantly see a grand living room with various sets of couches, armchairs and loveseats set around three small tables, two chandeliers hanging from the wooden ceiling, the floor-to-ceiling windows that let plenty of light in, a cozy fireplace to the right, stairs leading to the second floor on the left and a hallway in the back of the living room.

“What’s upstairs?” Reborn asked noticing more high windows there.

“That’s the sunroom. Come,” Iolanthe replied and taking his hand he lead him to the back of the living room towards the hallway. Holding hands was one of the new things between them after Reborn had recovered his body and she very much liked feeling the rough, warm hand in hers.

The hallway had two arcs in both sides. The left side contained a spacious olden kitchen with a long island table in the middle, a huge oven and many cabinets holding goods and pots, with a door that lead to a cellar and of course three chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The right side contained a very elegant and more modern -compared to the kitchen and living room- dining room with a wallpaper much like the one in the Black house’s dining room with trees and flowers and moving butterflies and birds. There was also a chandelier though this one was also more modern than the others. The floor-to-ceiling windows also let plenty of sunlight in. Reborn could see a pattern here.

“Most of the house has these windows?” He asked going around the huge round table that could sit up to 20 people and had a rotating center for convenience.

“It does. I was tired of the dreary and dark Black house so when I was renovating this one, I asked the goblins to install them to let more light in. It makes it even more spacious apart from the usual expanding Runes.” Iolanthe replied, sat on one of the comfortable chairs looking at her Husband inspecting the room.

Reborn paused thinking of something. The end of the hallway lead to a small porch and some garden, so then, “where are the bedrooms?” he asked turning to Iolanthe. She smiled widely and standing up, she reached for his hand to take him to the glass door with opened to a canopy of red trees in full bloom. Walking down under the rather short canopy they came in front of another glass door with an immense greenhouse behind it.

The greenhouse was sectioned since there was a smaller greenhouse to one side of the bigger dome-like one. “Inside that small one are the Magical plants plus the dangerous ones; it looks bigger inside contrary to this one which has true dimensions, so it really is as big as it looks. You could see it before coming into the house, right?” Iolanthe explained and then asked Reborn who nodded.

He had seen the sides and top of this dome right after coming out the main forest path. He had guessed it was a greenhouse, he just never thought it was actually bisecting the house since they hadn’t arrived to the bedrooms yet.

Well, the slow stroll around the greenhouse was nice too. There was even a pond in the middle with a pavilion in it. Iolanthe said she had seen one and wanted to have one too, so she built it. She also explained the reason there was such a big greenhouse was because her ancestor, the first Potter was someone who delved into medicine and herbs, that’s why most of the plants were medicinal herbs with the sporadic decorative flowers she recently planted together with the long vines of potted hanging plants.

After going around the greenhouse they came to another glass door and then into another canopy of trees, however, these ones were yellow. Something clicked in Reborn’s mind and he laughed bringing Iolanthe to his arms and planting a quick kiss on her lips. “Truly a Gryffindor.” He whispered making her blush at being discovered. Well, she was proud of her ex-House, she could show it, right? They continued walking until they reached a wooden door.

“There is a mechanism to open this door because this is the inner part of the house which has the bedrooms and the Family room. You have to tap the door in a pattern but even if you tap it the correct way, it won’t open because the true way to open the door is the recognition of the Magical signature. With Draco, we experimented a bit with Blood Magic when we were bored and have noticed that there is a certain similarity with the Magical signature between Family members that share blood. The Ward on this door will allow you to record your Flames signature; because you are wearing the Potter ring, once you are in the Wards, they will only recognize your Flames.” Iolanthe explained.

“What about Farid? She doesn’t have your blood.” Asked Reborn thinking of their daughter who was on her trip in the Bermuda Triangle. But then, thinking a bit, he answered himself. “Since she had gone through the labyrinth-like Ward then going through this one won’t pose a problem, right?”

Iolanthe nodded. “Being adopted is a bit complicated. She will need to use a bit of blood to access beyond this door but that will change once we Magically adopt her on Yule. She will do a ceremony accepting us as her new parents and then the Magical connection will be created between us three making her in all senses our daughter.”

Reborn thought it indeed was complicated but he accepted it just to make sure Farid was safe, too.

“Now, you have to infuse a bit of your Magick together with this pattern for you to open it.” She said showing the tapping pattern to her Husband. “Once the Ward recognizes you, like the front door, it will open to you automatically. In the case it picks up a strange signature, it will stop the stranger and immediately send them to the House dungeons. So, I will make it a point that only Family members are allowed in this part of the house for the defense mechanism to actually work.”

That said, she repeated the pattern and the door opened, closing right after she entered. Reborn stood there and following the pattern he had just learned, he infused a bit of his Flames and seconds passed while the Ward recorded his signature before the door opened, too. Iolanthe received him sitting on the closest couch with a smile. The Family room he faced had almost the same layout as the living room except for the walls full of shelves with books and other trinkets. The couches were longer, looking even more comfortable as if made to laze around, and the colors of this part of the house were warmer than the ones in the front of the House.

At the back there was also a hallway but this one contained four doors which lead to four completely furnished bedrooms, each with their own bathroom and he witnessed again the expanding Charm in those rooms. Coming back to the Family room, he eyed the second floor.

“Let me take you upstairs. I am sure you will love it.” Iolanthe said walking up the stairs.

And love it, Reborn did! The colors of the Master Bedroom were the same as the one from the Black house but the design was different.

The bed was a platform bed placed on the left side of the room. Beside it was a door which opened to a walk-in closet that looked more like a boutique. On the right side was the sitting area with the usual hearth and the shelves. What actually got his attention was the corridor on the right leading to an outdoor bathroom. He stood stunned staring at the huge room. There was glass for a roof letting natural light illuminate the gray marbled floor. The mirrors were hanging above the faucets on his right and a few steps further was a shower that wasn’t covered by anything, you would basically be able to see the person showering.

The tub was right in the middle occupying a big space; it was more like a small pool or jacuzzi than a tub. On the left was the toilet covered by low cabinets so you would know who was using it. All around there were some potted plants giving it a feeling of actually being outside. Just the thought of using this bathroom together with Iolanthe sent a shiver down his spine. There was basically no privacy and you could see everything!

“How is it? You like it?” Iolanthe’s soft voice came from behind him and he stiffly turned around to look at her. He didn’t know what expression he had on his face but it was enough to make her duck her head biting her lip and blushing.

“I…” He coughed to regain his composure. “I like it. You did an amazing job with the place.” He smirked rubbing her head. He could see she was pleased with the praising. Reborn wanted very much to christen that huge bed in the room but Iolanthe’s grumbling stomach halted his thoughts. “I guess it’s time for lunch.” He said sighing inwardly.

After leaving their luggage in the bedroom, they made their way back to the kitchen where Iolanthe had to go around looking for where the stuff was since it was her first time there after the renovation was completed and she hadn’t had time to ask Kreacher where he had put everything. Reborn went down to the cellar and discovered there were quite a few wines in it which dated from even before the 1900’s. He decided to bring one once he confirmed they were having meat for lunch.

When the food was done, they desisted on using the table in the dining room and ate at the island table instead; the only thing modern in the ancient kitchen even if it was made of wood. They ate almost in silence with just Reborn teaching her all the names of the new House-elves as he was able to remember them all. Iolanthe, in the meantime, complained that she had acquired too many of them.

“Well, Kreacher could have done the job. It was you who decided to get them.” Reborn teased making Iolanthe pout but then turned a bit serious.

“Kreacher is getting old so I didn’t want to overexert him. After taking care of everything in this house, I sent him to Narcissa. The Malfoys are now living a calm life so it is better if he is beside them.”

“How old is he, anyway?”

“Uh… around six hundred years.” Iolanthe replied.

That made Reborn choke in the wine he was drinking. “That old?” He asked after he stopped coughing.

“House-elves have a long lifespan. The new ones we got shouldn’t be more than a hundred years and the older ones are maybe two hundred. You can never tell their ages since they serve a Family for long periods of time.”

“So these elves will serve even our great great great great grandchildren?” Reborn was amazed at the tiny Creatures. Who would have thought?

Iolanthe flushed an endearing shade of pink being reminded that she was soon to start her Family with the man sitting in front of her. “That’s the idea.” She finally said gulping the last of her wine.

Seeing their food was gone, a strike of panic filled her heart which started to beat really fast. She took a deep breath and taking out a vial, she put it in front of her Husband then explained, “I asked Draco to make this potion so it would help with the… with the…” His focused eyes made her stutter rendering her unable to speak. Taking a moment to organize her thoughts she said in one go: “It will help us conceive even faster because I’m not on my fertile period.” She then stood up grabbing her plate and ran to the sink to give her an excuse to get away and not embarrass herself further.

Reborn eyed the vial in front of him and then glancing at Iolanthe who was taking deep breaths by the sink, he chuckled. Uncorking it, he drank it all in one gulp not even grimacing at the horrible taste.

“Oh my God, Renato, what have you done?” He barely heard Iolanthe’s words before she was already on him, kissing him with such a naughty tongue that he was a bit late in responding in kind. This potion was extremely effective, he thought. But then, Iolanthe separated and looked at him with concern in her eyes. “You weren’t supposed to drink it all, we had to share it. I… This…” She didn’t know what to say anymore.

“I thought it was one for each.” Reborn whispered still a bit winded by her actions.

“I should have said it before… How are you feeling?” She asked, checking his condition externally and internally with the help of her wand.

“I don’t feel anything. What’s supposed to happen?” He didn’t look one bit worried and even took advantage of the situation to sit Iolanthe on his lap. She was focused reading the results from the spells and didn’t pay attention to his actions.

“Hm, the main ingredient for this potion is Dragon blood, that’s why it’s forbidden to brew. Dragon blood has the best potency in assuring the person can conceive unless they are totally unfertile. You are supposed to feel warmth running through your body but it seems there is a delay in your case. I suspect it’s because of your Flames but we can’t be sure. We also don’t know how your body will react once the potion kicks in. I was able to take a bit of the potion from your mouth and it’s already working for me. I feel warmth in my lower abdomen area.” She informed him while still reading the analysis.

Meanwhile Reborn, who could still feel nothing, was busy touching and caressing her body. And just when he was about to start giving some love, she spoke again.

“I should better check out if Dragon blood has side effects we haven’t accounted for.” Saying that, she Apparated into the Family room where she instantly ditched her Husband leaving him sitting in one of the couches.

Curse Iolanthe and her closeted Ravenclaw side!

He groaned inwardly seeing how she went around the shelves looking for the right book. And when she found it, she even unconsciously went back and sat on his lap unknowingly teasing him even more. Reborn looked at her incredulous. Was she doing it on purpose or not? While she read, he could start feeling that warmth she had mentioned before, his breathing quickened and he was already reacting to having her on his lap.

Not wanting to drag this any longer, he grabbed her book ignoring her sound of protest and put it on the nearest table. Looking at her unhappy expression, like a disgruntled kitten, he seductively chuckled and pulled her even closer to him making her eyes widen feeling something poking her down there.

“Renat- mph” Her words were cut off by hungry lips on her. The kiss made her shiver, turning her into a mess of moans and whimpers not only because of his lips but his hands too which were groping anything they could grope.

Reborn was feeling really hot, his sight was blurred and he was on the verge of losing all rationality yet his actions never once stopped. Once he was done devouring her mouth, he started doing some work on her neck leaving countless love bites, enjoying Iolanthe’s yelps of pleasure. The more the potion took effect, the more worked up he got, he even dove into her collarbone and bosom leaving a trail with his tongue. “You smell really good, Iolanthe.” He rumbled. He looked at what he had done and witnessed the best sight his eyes had ever seen.

Iolanthe was panting with a slightly parted mouth, her eyes wide blown. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were so disheveled she showed her pale skin. Something tingled inside Reborn’s body and all his rationality was replaced by pure primitive lust. Last thing he knew, he was ripping Iolanthe’s dress apart and having her under his body…

When he finally came to, he was comfortably and familiarly laying on Iolanthe’s bosom. His body pleasantly ached in the way he remembered ached when he had just had sex but to his horror he couldn’t recall anything. His first time after so many years and with his Wife, he couldn’t remember shit about it! He despaired for a moment before he felt fingers carding through his hair. Only then he reminded himself to carefully check his situation. He was laying on his Wife, they seemed to be laying naked on the rug of the Family room with all their clothes haphazardly thrown around.

“Are you awake?” Iolanthe’s rough voice told him that she had screamed a lot during their session and he smugly smiled for a second before his expression stiffened. He wasn’t able to hear her! Dammit! A second inspection of the situation let him know that a pair of supple legs were coiled around his waist, then he experimentally moved to confirm… “Ah! Don’t move!” She moaned then scolded. Yes, he was still inside.

“I’m going to move,” he announced after pausing. “I can’t keep on crushing you with my body.” Reborn didn’t want to admit he wanted to look. Look at the result of their wild passion.

“Ok, but do it slowly.” She breathed preparing herself. She could see before it all began that Reborn wasn’t actually conscious of what he was doing and it was all the potion acting. But still… She wouldn’t deny that she liked it a lot. He was very wild, domineering and with very experienced movements that after the second time, she blacked out. Only to be roused by her still insatiable Husband who went for three more rounds before blacking out himself, leaving her spent and feeble like a newborn calf.

She wouldn’t look at the couch the same way after this, she knew. There was no part of the furniture they hadn’t used and she was flipped this and that way; but the thing she wouldn’t forget was the way he used his tongue. A pool of desire nestled in her low abdomen just remembering what he did and almost lost herself in her memories until sharp pain down there brought her back. She hissed but still endured until he fully took it out.

Reborn looked speechlessly at Iolanthe’s body. There was no place he hadn’t bitten or sucked. There were also some bruises on her hips from where he gripped them but what he couldn’t take his eyes off was the lower part. It was a mess. Good mess, not bad mess, he wasn’t that much of a savage. Yet he still couldn’t help breathing out: “There’s blood.”

Iolanthe snorted. “Of course there’s blood, Renato. That’s what happens when you take a woman’s first time and roughly as it was.”

“I… It’s my first time seeing it.” Reborn absentmindedly said still staring.

“Don’t compare me to those broken shoes you have slept with before!” Iolanthe retorted unhappy at his reminder that she wasn’t the only one he had had sex with.

That startled a laugh out of Reborn and looked at the pouting Iolanthe and he couldn’t help leaning to wipe that pout away with a kiss. She wanted to push him away but she was still weak and tender from the rough action; she couldn’t even do anything when he picked her up, taking her upstairs.

“Where are you taking me?” She squeaked but couldn’t hide the anticipation leaking from her voice.

“To take a bath.” He replied, really doing as he said gently placing her inside the tub which he later filled with the oils/potions he took out from the cabinets that helped sooth an aching body. Entering himself, he groaned at the warm water and the potions already doing their job. He opened his closed eyes at hearing Iolanthe’s giggles. “What?”

“Nothing, you just look really different from before.” She inadvertently blurted out.

“Oh, and how was I before?” He grinned moving closer, cornering her in the tub. Like a deer caught in the headlights she widened her eyes which looked more brilliant without her glasses and stuttered not really knowing what to say. His grin became unholy witnessing her reaction. “I supposed you really enjoyed it, then?” He teased, earning a crimson blush on her face and he laughed delighted. “I’m glad I can make you feel good Iolanthe, should we try it here in the tub?” He whispered in her ear. She stiffened and he laughed again.

Taking pity on her, he stopped teasing her and dedicated himself to scrub her body with the nearest sponge he found and some mint soap. He felt her relax under his ministrations and a small smile perched on his mouth only to disappear when he looked at that mark again. The mark below her collarbone she didn’t have before. He knew. He knew all the moles, scars and blemishes in her body like the palm of his hand and that mark was new.

“Are you going to tell me how you got that mark below your collarbone?” He lowly asked. Iolanthe’s reaction was to cover it with her hand and retreating more into the corner they were in. That rang alarm bells in his mind. Approaching her made her flinch and his stomach sank. Taking a deep breath, he approached again and ignoring her spooked figure, he gripped her waist easily sitting her on the edge of the tub and gently pulled the hand covering the mark. He looked at her complex expression and smiling, he asked. “Could you please tell me?”

Iolanthe’s tumultuous thoughts halted seeing his face. The same face he sported when she told him about the Trinisette; so open, so ready to accept. Her heart tightened and she looked up, the sky was painted with the colors of the sunset, the sun making its last attempts to make itself known. Trying to stay as long as possible shining above everything. _You truly couldn’t hide anything from the sun_ , she thought. So, looking back at her Husband’s open face, she told him.

She paid closed attention to his reaction but he was really good at hiding his emotions if he put his all into it; she couldn’t discern anything from him. So, after she was done recounting what had happened during the ritual, she stayed there waiting for him to do or say anything. All she got was a hug. Due to the difference in height because she was sitting at the edge of the tub, when he hugged her, his face was planted directly into her collarbone making her chin rest atop his head. His arms weren’t holding her tight but she could still feel secure in his embrace not wanting to leave it anytime soon.

Though moments later, she found herself dumbfounded when she felt tears rolling down her bosom. “Renato, are you crying?” He looked up at her and she was shocked by what she was seeing. Her Husband… even if crying, he was such a handsome man! His limpid and red-rimmed eyes added a gentleness to his sharp and devilish features that all she wanted was to comfort him. “Oh, no, Renato, my love, don’t cry. It’s not your fault.”

“It is my fault, Iolanthe.” His tightened voice scratched her heart and she constantly wiped his falling tears away. Reborn couldn’t remember when was the last time he cried, but tears easily fell when he heard how she got that mark.

He could only think of one word. Punishment. Iolanthe was punished for doing what she was not supposed to do yet she willingly did it. She willingly gave up part of her Magic so they could have a future, so they could live. The last person who had sacrificed so much for him was his Mother and she ended up dead. The thought of losing Iolanthe filled him with fear he had thought he would never feel again. He didn’t know why it surged but it was there. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve her; in fact, he was aware he didn’t deserve her. And it was that fact that made him even more possessive of her.

“No, it’s not.” She said gently but firm. “I love you and I don’t regret doing what I did. I was not only helping you but helping myself too. If not, how could I actually be holding my very handsome Husband like I’m doing now?” She grinned earning a small smile from him.

“I’m sorry, Iolanthe. You have done so much yet I have just stood there receiving it all. I feel really worthless by your side.” His smile turned a bit dejected making her kiss that sad smile away.

“Don’t say that. You have done enough, more than enough. You have been very sincere with your actions and are never afraid to honestly tell me how you feel. I am really thankful for that. I have told you that I always thought my Marriage would be an empty husk with the goal of only getting the kids I wanted but… I am happy, happy that you are my Husband and not someone else.”

To Reborn, what he had done was not enough. However, he could do better. He would do better.

“I am happy too.” He returned with a smile. “I can’t say I love you, Iolanthe, but I’m happy with you.” He declared before pulling her down for a kiss. A kiss she could feel held his true feelings, his happiness and contentedness with his current life. “Are you ok?” He whispered after the kiss.

“Huh? What?” She incoherently replied still immersed in that kiss. She really was a devotee of his lips.

Reborn chuckled seeing her silly face. “Your Magic. Are there any repercussions after the Sacrifice?” He asked drawing the Glyph on her collarbone with his finger.

“Oh, I’m fine. It was that errant Magic that got sacrificed so I don’t feel any different other than having all my Magic under control.” She explained hungrily eyeing those lips in front of her. Reborn’s thought of why Iolanthe was different finally found its answer! He was seeing a Iolanthe with her Magic under control. Even if he would miss that intense Iolanthe, the composed one just had something that-

His thoughts halted when Iolanthe, rather impatiently, pulled him towards her. After such an intimate talk, that marvelous kiss and the helpful visual aid of her Husband’s naked body, Iolanthe couldn’t resist it any longer before they were already laying on the bed hotly feeling each other and on their way to christen it.

Iolanthe had tasted the wild Reborn but the gentle and meticulous him was even more mind-blowing. Reborn actually had his first real taste of his Wife reacting to his actions. Her sweet voice coming out in alluring moans and whimpers, the way she pleaded while tightly gripping the sheets but even more impressive was the way she constantly called for his name. As if it was a mantra keeping her rooted to this world until she finally fell under his passionate spell. She was loud and vocal, always saying what she wanted and Reborn, as the bewitched man he was, could only comply to her.

With his slow and sensual pace, he tore out the first scream from Iolanthe and he could already feel what it would be like to make her his, to fill her up… That was until the potion kicked in again and all self-control went down to Hell. They went at it until midnight and only took a quick shower to wash away all the stickiness before going to the kitchen to prepare some food.

“How long does the potion last?” Asked a disgruntled Reborn, angrily spooning his soup.

“Until I get pregnant.” Iolanthe replied sleepily. She was too tired to bother about Reborn’s unhappiness.

“And how will we know you are pregnant?” He eyed Iolanthe and under the flimsy robe, he could only see the results of their actions but not the one he desired. He wanted a nice session of sex in which he could actually remember releasing himself inside her! Was that too much to ask?!

“I can do the blood test… eh, never mind, I forgot to ask Astoria to give me a few of the papers that confirm the pregnancy.” Iolanthe deeply thought of another method after the first was discarded. “Well, I think it depends on you. The potion should have let me know when I’m pregnant if I had taken my part. Since that’s not the case, I can’t tell for sure if I’m pregnant or not; the warm feeling keeps coming and going. Don’t you feel anything different in me?” She earnestly asked him

Reborn took a good look at Iolanthe but all he could stare at was her bosom which reminded him how it moved with each of his slow moves… “No, not really.” He said clearing his throat. “You smell different though.”

“That must be one of the effects of the potion due to the Dragon blood!” She said excited. “How do I smell? Maybe we can discover it like that.”

“Hmm, it’s hard to describe…” He even took a deep breath in her direction and something rumbled inside him, reveling at the smell of mate… right, that was a weird thought, he mused. “If I can make a comparison then it would be like a ripe fruit ready to eat.” His tongue slowly licked his lips and he laughed when he heard her mutter ‘Oh, Merlin’ while she fixedly watched his tongue.

“This… I guess that doesn’t help much. We can only keep trying until something changes… Not now! I want to sleep and rest tonight!” She hurriedly added seeing his expression. It was her that ended up with her back killing her! No matter how good he was, she still demanded for a break! Reborn deflated in his chair and he had no other choice but to do as she said. That didn’t stop him from plastering her body to his before sleeping though.

The morning greeted them with the potion kicking in again. Iolanthe was getting used to the potion’s randomness but she still marveled at all the positions she was subjected to and she would have suspected it was all a ruse from her Husband if he didn’t look frustrated at being dominated by his primitive desire. Still, Reborn was finally satisfied when he got what he wanted in the shower. It was sublime and perfect, divine even, and he would have loved to continue if it wasn’t because Iolanthe complained she was hungry and that they still needed to unpack.

The rest of the morning was spent putting all the things they brought where they belonged. Clothes and jewelry in the walk-in closet, books on the shelves, a case of emergency potions on the shelves too and a couple of pictures for the mantelpiece above the fireplace. They even chose a bedroom downstairs for Farid, placing all her clothes in the wardrobe there. Once they were done unpacking, Iolanthe had the idea of eating outside. There was a stream near the house and she thought visiting it before it froze was nice; and if she was indirectly having a date with her Husband, then who would say something?

It was noon but they donned warm clothes as the air was a bit chilly. The stream was still without any signs of ice but the water was already bitingly cold. They ate their hot food sitting side by side taking the scenery in front of them. The warm sun felt good on their bodies as they basked on it until it started to get a bit cold thus deciding to go back. They didn’t talk at all while they were there. They just enjoyed each other’s company, feeling they were not alone in that vast world. That although their lives didn’t have the best beginning, they could still find a point where they could find peace in it.

“Iolanthe?” Reborn voiced out breaking the comfortable silence.

“Hm?” She lazily replied swinging their joined hands.

“I’m sorry.” The two tacitly stopped in their walking.

“What for?” She asked, curious about her Husbands antics.

“For everything.” His words were vague but she understood his meaning. She didn’t know when she had stopped resenting him for that time he left but the truth was she no longer cared about it.

What was important was that although he was afraid of their future together, that he was as uncertain as she was and that even if he didn’t love her like she loved him, he still came back. He came back to her. He was still with her having random picnics outdoors, doing inane things like unpacking, touring a house and even learning new things beside her. He honestly admitted his mistake and more importantly, he was still happy with her.

She nodded. “You are forgiven.”

They continued their way back to the house and felt as if something had been lifted from them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are many times I'm not sure why my characters react the way they do. For example, Iolanthe not wanting to show the Glyph and Reborn crying. 
> 
> After some thought, I can shakily conclude that perhaps Iolanthe was too used to people not really asking where she got this or that scar that whenever someone asked she reacted like she didn't want to share it. Reborn knows about her scars, has seen them and has felt them but he hasn't asked where she got them and she thought he would never ask that's why she overreacted when he finally did. She is still a bit of a complicated character with many secrets in her and that maybe they won't be explained.
> 
> Reborn crying. I think it comes from the fact that he subconsciously compares Iolanthe with his Mother. He outed that when he talked with Iolanthe's parents. He lost his Mother rather cruelly when he was very little and that opened him the path of becoming a Hitman. Now that he finally found a woman with whom he was happy sharing his life, the possibility of losing her could make him do more drastic things. Same as Iolanthe, he is discovering his feelings so it might be a bit difficult to understand his, but once he does I think he will happily accept them.
> 
> If you can think of another possibility for their behavior you can comment them. We are all discovering here xD


	30. Whole, Complete, Totally Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The long awaited result!
> 
> A visit to the Malfoys that unravels unexpected information.
> 
> What happened to those who went to the Bermuda Triangle?

* * *

 

The morning of their third day in the Potter’s Ancestral Home, Reborn stood by the entrance of the kitchen looking at the busy Iolanthe making breakfast. She was wearing his shirt together with his shorts and he was there simply enjoying the view. He didn’t care she was wearing an expensive shirt while she was frying bacon and spilling some oil on it; as long as she was happy, then there was nothing he could say to her. However, the real reason he was standing there looking at her was because she…

“You’re pregnant.” He said to the Iolanthe who was placing the breakfast on the table.

“What?” She stopped what she was doing and turned to looked at him.

“You’re pregnant.” He repeated intently staring at her. “You are whole, complete, totally mine.” His claims made her blush and he shrugged. “Or that’s the feeling I get from the potion.”

“Oh, then I truly must be pregnant.” She mused placing her hand on her still flat abdomen. It shouldn’t be a surprise either, they had gone at it like bunnies the past two days that she was actually expecting to get pregnant earlier. But well, the matter was done, she was already pregnant with their first child. Giddiness and a feeling of wanting to tell everybody in the world about her pregnancy filled her. She happily turned to look at her Husband who was staring at her with a smug expression.

She took in his appearance, only pajama pants clad in that body of his, spectacularly showing the muscles in his abdomen, his sculpted chest, those strong arms. She started to feel bothered remembering how she writhed in pleasure under and above that body -body she had also clumsily but satisfactorily marked with a few scratches and bites. Then her eyes stopped at his face. She blinked. Looked a bit more. Thought of something and then laughed.

“What?” Reborn was confused by his Wife’s reactions. She was first delightfully looking at him with hunger in her eyes but now she was laughing. “Are you that happy that you are pregnant?” He asked walking towards her.

“No, I…” she chuckled. “I just thought, looking at your bed hair, that our child will be very unfortunate what with yours and my hair. I already feel sorry.”

Reborn never thought he would actually like hearing someone say ‘our child’ but here he was, feeling ridiculously happy at the fact that there was a child of his growing inside the woman in front of him. He was conscious that he liked the child because Iolanthe was the mother. If it had been any other woman, then he would have ruthlessly ordered the woman to abort it. But now, he was looking forward to the birth of his first offspring. Deep inside he hoped the child was a girl with the same unruly curls like Iolanthe, the same emerald eyes, the same elegant nose, small mouth, cheeky smile… well, he would be very happy if the child was like a mini Iolanthe.

Placing her in his arms, he whispered in her ear. “We’ll get there when the child is born. Should we celebrate these news after breakfast?”

Iolanthe’s breath hitched. She could already feel his lower part showing interest to her answer that she knew it was an obvious yes. As long as it was her Husband she would happily fall into his arms and let him do whatever he wanted with her so she nodded. “We should.”

Maybe it was her imagination or maybe not, though it looked like Reborn was extra careful and gentle with his movements that it was a torture for her. The slow, lingering pace, the fleeting kisses, the shared looks and the scalding hands touching her body sent her to a whole new level of pleasure and sensations that she cried. Words were not enough to express how good her body felt that a few tears fell down the sheets while her body tightened reaching her peak. A couple of hours later, her body hummed contented after their activities and she snuggled into his arms to take a nap.

In the afternoon, both Reborn and Iolanthe were primly and properly drinking tea with the Malfoys. Finally coming out of their self-imposed seclusion they had been in while going about making a baby and being under the effects of the potion, they decided to visit them; Iolanthe also had business with them, so there was a reason for the visit.

The Black House in Scotland was near the Potter’s Ancestral Home. They were practically neighbors as the houses were the only ones around the area. The couple walked from their home to the Black house for about an hour. They would have made it in less time but they took their sweet time strolling down the grassy and rocky hills, enjoying the breeze and playing silly games on the way. If someone had seen them, then they would have said that Reborn and Iolanthe looked like a pair of teenagers in love. The truth was, once one taunted the other, their games turned into serious bets. What they bet, only they knew.

Arriving at the Black House, the door was opened by Kreacher who also announced them to Lord and Lady Malfoy. Narcissa was a bit surprised but managed to hide her emotions on time. Lucius, however looked as if it was his in-laws that were visiting. With Reborn and Iolanthe now being Lord and Lady Black, then they might as well be his in-laws. Thanks to Narcissa’s pointed look, Lucius stayed put in his chair and made it as if there was nobody sitting in the loveseat in front.

“It’s lovely to have you visiting us, Lady Potter. It has been some time since we last met you. I presume everything has been well?” Narcissa, like the perfect host she was, opened the conversation after the customary presentations.

“Everything has been well, Lady Malfoy. These couple of weeks have been a bit busier than before but I still made some time to come see you.” Iolanthe returned with a polite smile.

A pause was made for the two women to sip on their tea before continuing with their polite talk. The men were putting their skills of observation to work by analyzing every detail in the other; to them even the minimum movement had some kind of meaning and they didn’t want to miss anything. Both Iolanthe and Narcissa glanced at their respective Husband and inwardly sighed, tacitly sharing an exasperated look.

Placing her cup down, Iolanthe decided to go to the point before Reborn started attacking someone -Lucius, obviously- just because he didn’t want to back down on the ‘who is better’ gazing contest. “I came because there is a matter I have to discuss with you. It’s very important and I guess Draco has mentioned something about it.”

Her words got even Lucius’ attention whose gaze transferred to Iolanthe. “Draco has mentioned many things, Lady… Potter.” Lord Malfoy drawled. Iolanthe looked at the blonde man for a couple of seconds before lowly sighing.

“I suppose now it’s not the time to talk. Maybe when Lucius realizes that going back to being someone important depends on me, then we can start having this discussion. It was nice to see you, Narcissa but we must leave.” Iolanthe calmly said and then gave the older woman a gentle smile.

As if rehearsed, both Reborn and Iolanthe stood up at the same time and walked to the exit. Seeing them leave, Narcissa hissed “Lucius!” to her Husband beside her. That she was displeased at him didn’t mean she had to lose her composure and yell like a common woman in the market. Lucius scowled but still relented to his Wife’s look.

“A moment, Lady Potter.” He reluctantly said halting Iolanthe just when she was about to leave the room.

“Yes, Mr. Malfoy?” Iolanthe turned and asked with a small smile on her face emphasizing the ‘Mr.’. Lucius gritted his teeth not ignoring the way she addressed him. It was obvious that her referring him as ‘Mr. Malfoy’ and Narcissa as ‘Lady Malfoy’ was the same as giving her more respect and that she had more control over him. It wasn’t that he didn’t like it when others gave more power to Narcissa, it was just Iolanthe placing more importance to her than him, Lucius, the one she actually was looking for.

But Lucius hadn’t been consorting in politics and being dirty for more than half his life for nothing. He discreetly took a deep breath to calm down and put on his business face. “Please excuse my behavior. At my age some things just slip my mind. Have a seat and let’s speak.”

Reborn and Iolanthe glanced at each other. Reborn gently pinched Iolanthe seeing her almost laugh out loud to make her regain her composure and both then returned to their seats. Another round of tea was served and sipped to allow the atmosphere simmer a bit before going into serious business. As always, it was Iolanthe who opened the discussion because she had more important things to do, like tend to the flowers in the greenhouse and check on the Magical plants and potions lab.

“The petition has already been submitted. I am just waiting for the 20th and let Hell loose in the Wizengamot.” Iolanthe said with a smirk on her face. If the smirk was almost the same as Reborn’s, then she just had to blame her Husband for having such a devilish smirk worth imitating.

“What about the person acting as secretary? I have-”

“I have already talked with someone who is very reliable and I’m sure is perfect for the job. Hermione Granger.” Iolanthe cut him off and announced.

“The mud-”

“The much better person than the one you have in mind.” Iolanthe once again cut him off. “Let’s accept, Lucius, that Theodore Nott is not someone for the job, not mentioning he already has a job in the Ministry as an Unspeakable.” She continued watching elated how Lucius’ face changed, even if minutely, at the mention of Nott. “Don’t think I don’t know what you both have been doing when Narcissa is out visiting Andromeda. I should be reporting this suspicious behavior but I still need you to be in the Wizengamot to act as my proxy with the help of Hermione when needed. Never doubt that I will still do so if you continue meeting him.” Her cup clinking on the saucer was very loud in the silent room.

It had to be said that despite her Husband’s creepy hobby of getting information out of bugs, it was very useful just like her using snakes as spies in her house. If it weren’t for him gathering that tidbit of information from the last two days when he went out for walks alone, then she wouldn’t have blackmail material available for this discussion. Even if she was the one in power there and able to call the shots, Lucius Malfoy always worked by coercion instead of coaxing. He was not as smart as Narcissa who knew who to cosy up to and who to treat as someone from the rabble.

Iolanthe knew that she had just created a topic of discussion between the older couple but she didn’t regret it. She needed to have a hold of Lucius and she was sure Narcissa would see it too. Narcissa was a Black, after all.

“As you wish.” Was the only reply Lucius could muster. It was obvious he couldn’t say anything else, Iolanthe knew what was going on and he didn’t want to go to Azkaban for the illegal creation of a Time-turner. He could also see the unhappy expression on Narcissa and he could already hear her complaints and rebukes.

The matter settled, the four drank the last of their tea before Narcissa primly asked Iolanthe to accompany her on a walk in the garden leaving both men behind.

“I have to thank you, Iolanthe.” Narcissa suddenly said, five minutes into their walk.

“What’s there to thank, Narcissa?” Iolanthe had a favorable impression of the woman. She couldn’t completely trust Narcissa but the older woman was reliable with important matters.

“You are giving Lucius a reason to live. After the war and you speaking up for us, he had been a little… bleak. I think that’s the reason why he must have accepted to meet with that Nott boy.” Narcissa sighed. “I suspected he had been doing things behind my back. I just never thought it would be so damning that would warrant him a trial and most likely a permanent stay in Azkaban taking into account his antecedents.”

“Unspeakables have their rules, Narcissa. Discussing research with non-Unspeakable fellows will bring problems not only to him but to your Family too. Draco might even get involved because Nott was his classmate and people will try to speculate and make assumptions. I guess you are not willing to see your Family in those cells in the Ministry again.” Iolanthe said stopping by the bush of begonias. “I can help Lucius but he also has to help himself. Make him completely stop seeing Nott because that will be the first thing I will address in the Wizengamot; the matter of the Unspeakables’ research to be known only to the Minister and no one else.”

Narcissa nodded. At the beginning, she didn’t want to acknowledge Iolanthe as Lady Black since there was no Black blood in her and wasn’t worth of a Black, yet she had no other option but to rely on her seeing as there was no one who would support them, the Malfoys. It was only Iolanthe Potter, the savior, the person with more than enough reasons to see them in Azkaban that spoke for them. She had read from The Prophet the press conference she did in Hogwarts; how she subtly defended Draco and her confession of owning a life debt to her.

She didn’t blame Iolanthe disclosing that fact, after all, it helped Narcissa in going back to the social circles seeing as she was in good terms with Iolanthe Potter. Not all the Ladies out there spoke to her but a few who were adept in the way of Magical Traditions did. It was somewhat of an unfamiliar circle since she had only been consorting with those Families supporting the Malfoys, same Families that were now in Azkaban or out of the country. So, basically, Narcissa had a new life after that press conference and that was another reason to thank Iolanthe.

“I heard Draco has decided on a date for the wedding?” Iolanthe asked trying to come up with another conversation.

“Yes, on Beltane. They said they wanted the union to be blessed by Mother Magic.” Narcissa said content at her son’s choice. She would have still liked for a bigger celebration but having the ceremony on such an special date was good too. “You should do a ceremony too. I heard from Draco that you had an arranged marriage.”

“Yes, some Harrison Potter wanting to meddle in Family affairs.” Iolanthe commented.

“Harrison Potter?” Narcissa asked a bit surprised.

“Yes. Have you heard of him? The Potters don’t really have a tapestry with the Family Tree like the Blacks and there aren’t many journals from the past members, so there is not much about him. Only the portrait of himself that I refuse, for now, to put back in the Ancestral Home.” Iolanthe explained.

Narcissa paused for a bit as if remembering something. “When I was a child, very little, Great Aunt Belvina used to tell me stories about Harrison Potter. Apparently, she wanted to marry him yet her Father Phineas Nigellus Black didn’t allow it saying she had more class than to marry a bastard Potter child. Harrison Potter’s Mother was supposed to marry Phineas Nigellus but she ran away days before the wedding to get involved with another man. I guess that is one of the reasons why he was so against the idea. The result was that she didn’t marry that other man and only ended up with Harrison Potter as a son. Later, Harrison Potter married and had a son, Charlus Potter who married my Aunt Dorea Black.” Narcissa recounted leaving Iolanthe with a headache with the connection of the Houses.

“So, Great Aunt Belvina knew this Harrison Potter?” Her mind tried to follow the story she was just told.

“Oh yes, she even asked her Father to buy her a House in Italy because Harrison Potter spent a lot of time there. When asked, he always jokingly said he was looking for his Father but Great Aunt Belvina often saw him meet a man that didn’t look like the good sort.” Now Iolanthe knew why those Ladies loved to gather for afternoon tea. They would gossip about everything they could come across to.

“What was considered a ‘bad sort’ in those times? What times are we even talking about?”

Narcissa gave Iolanthe a look as if not believing she was asking that but well, Iolanthe was new in these type of conversations so she didn’t mind if she was too direct with her questions. “The man looked very suspicious, always alert and extremely dangerous. Or at least, that’s how Great Aunt Belvina described him; she was a sheltered woman except for that period of time when she pursued Harrison Potter.”

Iolanthe nodded analyzing the information she just got. “Wait, you mentioned she bought a House in Italy?”

“Yes. Phineas Nigellus loved his only daughter very much so he would always acquiesce to whatever request she had. I believe she even acquired some lands near the House too, but I’m not too sure. It’s been a long time since I learned this.”

“Uh, I think my Husband is interested in that House.” Iolanthe told Narcissa.

“He should be. Draco told me he is Italian, so he must know the land there. Perhaps he knows where exactly the House is; not that it could be hidden as the House never had proper Wards. Great Aunt Belvina had great taste when it came to Houses and the one in Italy is bigger than the proper Black Ancestral Home in London. Apart from that, the back garden is as big or bigger than the House. Sadly, after the House was finally renovated, she was sent to marry Herbert Burke and it was never occupied. She finally left it to her disowned brother Phineas for him to live there without their Father knowing. But with the house already seen by many, it would have been strange if it suddenly disappeared so I’m not sure if Phineas actually lived there.”

Iolanthe sighed at such a complicated Family history, not only from the Blacks but also from that branch of the Potter Family. It seemed she had to speak again with Harrison Potter, if only to give a conclusion to that story. Done with their gossiping, they continued their stroll.

“Forgive my bluntness, Iolanthe, and I understand if you wouldn’t want to answer my question but is Lord Potter really a Muggle?” She tried her best to hide the displeasure at Lord Potter and Lord Black being a Muggle but a life of being taught to despise them couldn’t be totally hidden. Not that Iolanthe minded, she didn’t dislike Muggles but she also wouldn’t go out to defend them. It wasn’t that she was believing in Blood Purity or that Wizards were better but defending people she didn’t know was too tiring and bothersome.

Iolanthe instead chuckled at Narcissa’s question; she must have read what was printed in The Prophet. “He is not. Italy… well, around the world but mainly Italy, has people with a different kind of Magick. He is part of that society. I can’t speak about it because their Statute of Secrecy is so severe that disclosing anything about that society may be faced with eternal imprisonment or maybe even death.”

“That harsh?” Narcissa was truly surprised that she forgot about propriety with the way she talked.

“It is. My prenuptial consisted of several conditions for my continued existence knowing about their society.” Iolanthe confessed leaving Narcissa speechless.

“I see.” The older woman breathed. She remembered from that article of the press conference how Lord Potter, with a toddler body killed a man without hesitation. Now that he had his body back… For a moment, she feared for Lucius being alone with the man. “Are you following the Black Traditions?” Narcissa decided to open a new conversation to dispel her worries.

“I am, though I am more of a Potter follower. Blacks are too… daring.” Iolanthe said, blushing. Potter Traditions really focused in the emotionally coexistence of the partners. Mainly because Potters rarely married for convenience or due to an arrangement and did it for love. That’s why she was surprised the Arranged Marriage came from the Potter line. Blacks instead, didn’t care much about feelings and headed more towards bewitching the partner creating some sort of messed up attraction by using the body.

Narcissa smiled knowing very well what Iolanthe was thinking. She accepted that Blacks were a dangerous bunch that didn’t care much about emotional commitment. Only her sister Andromeda was able to marry for love but that resulted in her disownment.

“It is helpful once in a while.” Narcissa advised. “With your Husband’s appearance, I am sure you will have troubles keeping pesky flies away and in a way, the Black methods prevent the man from deviating. I guess you are in an advantage; Potter Traditions focus on the emotional area while Blacks focus on the pleasure area. If you balance them both well, then I am sure you will have your Husband in the palm of your hand.” Iolanthe felt shivers running down her spine seeing Narcissa’s expression. Lucius truly must be devoted to this woman after all her tricks. “I will tell you something that we Black women use to always keep the Husband completely besotted.”

Iolanthe, deep down, didn’t want to know and after hearing the method, she wanted to die right there and then due to embarrassment. There was no way she would use it.

The rest of the walk was done in silence until they arrived back at the Sunroom where they left their Husbands. Both were civilly drinking some liquor but both women could notice Lucius was faintly pale and his hands were shaking. Whatever happened there, neither woman wanted to ask. When the men saw Iolanthe and Narcissa enter the room, Lucius could barely contain himself from sighing in relief. There was no way, he would ever, ever offend Lord or Lady Potter in this life.

As their business was done, Iolanthe and Reborn made their way out to return home. As the hosts, Narcissa and Lucius saw them off; more importantly showing their goodwill towards them.

“Iolanthe,” Narcissa suddenly called out. “About Andromeda…” she trailed, not sure how to continue.

Iolanthe smiled knowing what she wanted to say. “It’s your sister, Narcissa, disowned or not. I won’t say anything about it. I will just ask you to let me know what you decide.” With those words, they left.

When they arrived back at the Potter’s Ancestral Home, the sun was already setting and Iolanthe was preparing to make dinner. The house was too big for the both of them being there alone so Reborn took his kit to clean his gun to the kitchen and waited there for Iolanthe to finish preparing the food. Meanwhile, Iolanthe told him what she heard about Harrison Potter.

“I think that Harrison Potter was truly looking for his Father.” Reborn said calmly assembling his gun back to then put it aside.

“Why do you say so?” Iolanthe asked putting the food on the table.

“Our Marriage came from him and that ancestor of mine he most likely met while he was in Italy. But why would he go to Italy to make acquaintances with someone from the Mafia? My guess is that Harrison Potter’s Mother met a man from the Mafia with whom she had an affair and ended up pregnant yet didn’t marry. She probably constantly talked about the man to Harrison Potter leading him to search for his Father and getting involved with the Mafia. So, this marriage was not only an experiment to him, he was also the fruit of a Magical and a Flame User conceiving.” Reborn explained his theories leaving Iolanthe speechless.

“I think I really need to talk to that annoying ancestor of mine.” Iolanthe grumbled.

“Are you going to bring him back to the house?” He asked devouring one after another spring roll. Iolanthe truly made delicious food.

“I’m thinking about doing it.” She relented. She also wanted to bring a frame for Sirius and Remus.

“Iolanthe.” He called. She looked up at him to discover he was looking at her with a focused expression. “Is something wrong with Andromeda?” He could feel there was something very important in that short exchange between the two women.

“Hm.” Iolanthe hummed. She was going to tell him about it, it also concerned him anyway. “There is some sort of illness in the Black Family called the Black Madness. Not all Blacks develop it but they all have the potential. Bellatrix Lestrange was one of the most obvious cases of Black Madness due to her obsession with Voldemort. You can say that the illness takes root from a strong emotion and expands from there.”

“Andromeda has it?” Reborn had never heard of anything like that.

“Andromeda lost her Husband and daughter one after the other. She has been in a constant state of grief that has been alleviated thanks to Teddy but if Narcissa is the one bringing it up, then it means Andromeda is getting worse faster than expected.” Iolanthe paused then looked straight at Reborn. “If Andromeda decides she can’t take care of Teddy anymore, then I will take responsibility of him as his Godmother.”

Of course, Reborn knew what that meant. To be honest, he had expected Andromeda to show up during Samhain but she didn’t. He didn’t think much of it at that time but with Iolanthe telling him about the Black Madness then it all made sense. With no Andromeda to take care of Teddy, Iolanthe will have to raise him. Knowing Iolanthe, he was sure she would raise Teddy as if he truly was her son; meaning, his second child would also not be his. He thought it was funny.

He wasn’t very enthusiastic at the thought of having sons yet he found he didn’t mind having Teddy around. But more importantly, as long as Iolanthe was happy, then there was nothing he could say, except…

“We will need to prepare a room for Teddy, then.”

Reborn discovered that night that being an understanding Husband would make him receive a reward and he vowed to all gods that he would do that more often in the following days he had left with his normal body if only to witness Iolanthe being so daring again.

What he didn’t know was that he was going to receive a better surprise the last day with his normal body.

 

…

 

_Crack_

_Boom!_

“I never thought the Bermuda Triangle would be like this.” Commented Draco safely guarded in their suite cabin hearing the horrible storm outside. “Or at least, this part of the Bermuda Triangle.”

The four adults -Draco, Astoria, Luna and Rolf- and two kids -Farid and Teddy- had boarded the so called ‘Flying Dutchman’ cruise ship towards the Bermuda Triangle. The ship was claimed to be the one from stories and it did look like it with its really old design with the sails, the wooden exterior, the pirate-like crew, the cannons and everything. The saving grace was that despite the rather unreliable exterior, the interior wasn’t like those from old ships as it was truly built as a cruise ship, a small cruise ship because not anyone would actually go to the Bermuda Triangle.

Not many were crazy enough to venture those unknown waters. Still, what Draco and Astoria thought would be a nightmarish trip towards their deaths, ended up as a unforgettable one.

The ship sailed steadily across the Atlantic with good weather. The few passengers, all Wizards and Witches, spent the day on the part of the deck exclusive for passengers to enjoy meals or simply to observe the sea during those days that it was sunny. The meals were really sumptuous and there wasn’t a day and mealtime when they didn’t serve a buffet. So far, Draco and Astoria were surprised at the vast difference of experience from what they had in mind.

The pirate-like crew, even if a bit bedraggled, were very polite and even took Farid and Teddy -the only kids on board- on a tour through the parts of the ship exclusive to the crew.

All was well the first day they calmly sailed towards the Bermuda Triangle… until they got lost due to a dense fog on their second day. Well, they weren’t really lost, they all supposed the crew knew what they were doing but it felt they had sailed through that fog for ages. That time was spent inside the ship, enjoying the ‘Aquarium’. Technically, it was the lower part of the ship which had a Ward that allowed them to see under the sea. It was well-illuminated so the passengers could see a mile around. Farid and Teddy spent their time gawking and pointing to this and that fish they saw swimming beside or under them.

Draco and Astoria thought it would be difficult for them to communicate with Farid as she could only speak Parsel but who would have thought Luna could actually understand her? The couple didn’t know if she could understand Parsel or she was just doing her Luna thing. They leaned towards the second option. Either way, it made the trip better for everybody… If only they could come out of the fog.

Their prayers were answered on the third day of the trip when the Captain announced: “Ladies, Gentlemen and kiddos, we invite you to the Observation deck to witness our entrance to the Bermuda Triangle.”

It was still early in the morning but many people were already awake and easily made their way out, if a bit confused. With kids in their group, Luna, Draco, Rolf and Astoria couldn’t really sleep late and when they heard the announcement they were on their way to the inner diner. The six followed the other passengers and came out to the Observation deck only to see that thrice damned fog.

“I can’t see anything, how can they say we are entering the Bermuda Triangle?” Draco complained. So far he had only seen water, more water and then fog. He was looking around for what he was supposed to see only to feel someone tapping his shoulder. He turned to look at a gaping Astoria. “What? What’s wrong?” The only response he got was her pointing somewhere northwest. Then, it was Draco’s turn to gape. “You are kidding me, right?”

All the passengers on deck had the same astounded expression seeing what was the entrance to the Bermuda Triangle. Though, actually, the moment they had entered that foggy sea, they were already in the Bermuda Triangle and only after crossing it, they could see what they were seeing.

The sky was completely clear and covered in stars. It was supposed to be morning with the sun already up in the sky but that part of the Bermuda Triangle was in a state of eternal night with the stars shining splendidly that they felt they could touch them with only extending the hand. But what was truly impressive from this part of the sea was that the strangely calm waters were reflecting the skies making it seem as if they were sailing in the starry sky. It was completely mind-blowing and left everybody speechless.

Draco and Astoria both woke up from their stupor to the flash of a camera.

“Goodness, Lovegood, you almost left me blind?” Draco said rubbing his eyes. “Where did you get that camera from?”

“I always carry it when I go on trips. I also want to make sure Iolanthe doesn’t miss anything from our trip.” Luna replied flashing the camera again this time taking a picture of the kids and Rolf who were totally enthralled by the starry sea and were clinging from the railings. It was a relief that the ship was protected against passengers falling down to the water.

Needless to be said, everybody had breakfast on the deck to enjoy more about the scenery presented to them and because this sea was short; they were told they would come out of it by noon. The ship then entered another foggy sea yet before people could groan and complain, they were received by violent winds.

“Captain! There is a storm ahead!” A member of the crew yelled from atop the main mast.

It resulted that right after the calm starry sea, the foggy sea was short but instead of encountering the normal waters of the Bermuda Triangle, they came across a storm. According to the people in the crew, the Bermuda Triangle had mostly calm seas all year round; you just needed to hope not to encounter a storm because they raged as if the world was ending. A ship that travelled this treacherous place was naturally made to withstand the sudden ferocious weather, it was just unpleasant.

As soon as the Captain told the passengers to return to their cabins, everybody almost Apparated inside their own cabins with how fast they moved.

Inside their suite, they couldn’t feel the swaying of the strong waves even if they could see from the windows what was going on outside.

“It’s been a while since we entered the storm, I wonder when it is going to stop.” Astoria mused looking out, a book in her lap, while lounging on one of the couches.

“What I wonder is where Luna and Rolf took the kids.” Commented Draco, he worried for a second but then threw that thought to the side knowing it was Luna.

“Well, Rolf better get himself together and do something with Luna.” Astoria said going back to her book.

 ** _“Why are we here?”_** Farid asked the blonde woman beside her holding her hand tightly, her other hand not letting go of little Teddy.

These past few days had made her miss Iolanthe a bit because even if Luna knew what she was saying, Farid didn’t know what others were saying. It was hard and she felt a bit lonely. But she was intelligent. She was aware her new Mom was trying to help her become what she was supposed to be though something inside told her that there was nothing that could be done. The King had also told her that she wouldn’t be able to change.

It was fine with her. There was someone who she could talk with, well, one person and many snakes she could talk with. However, this problem of not having either beside her and trying to talk with people was frustrating to her. That’s why she had been learning. Learning English. Just like how her Dad was learning to understand what she said, she was learning to understand what others said. It was a slow process since she was learning on her own but she was able to at least get the feeling of what was being said. She promised herself to tell her Mom to teach her when they were back.

“We came here because I heard that storms in the Bermuda Triangle are due to legendary Creatures fighting.” Luna replied not once taking her eyes off the glass, looking at the turbulent waters under the ocean. Luna and Rolf had taken the kids to the ‘Aquarium’.

This trip was supposed to be for the Magizoologists alone but Luna ended up buying six tickets in total after some thought. At that moment, she knew that they would be needed and she was right. Apart from getting to experience such a mystical place, they were giving the kids an unforgettable trip.

Farid couldn’t quite guess what Luna said but it looked like the blonde woman was waiting for something to appear there. Maybe.

They spent a good time there still looking out with no success, that was when both Farid and Teddy tensed. Farid liked Teddy very much. There was something about him that let her know he was kin, different kind of kin but kin nonetheless. Much like how all those different type of snakes lived in the house. They fought a lot but they still depended on each other. The King had taught her that it was because no matter how different, we were all kin. That’s why Teddy was kin and she had to take care of him.

“It’s here.” Luna voiced a bit excited. The four intently looked and they caught a glimpse of what seemed like a tentacle.

“They are real.” Rolf said, moved by the sight. He was so moved that he unknowingly held Luna’s hand as if wanting to share his excitement with the woman beside him, getting a surprise when she gripped his hand back. He was delighted when Luna had invited him to celebrate Samhain with her friends. He had a good time and even had the pleasure to see his first Maledictus. Of course, he didn’t treat Farid like a Creature but she was still a really special existence in his opinion. But that moment, seeing with their own very eyes what every Magizoologist dreamed to see, was the best in his life.

In a rather wild movement that left the ship under water -that thanks to very special Wards, the ship didn’t sink and just came out of the water as if nothing-, they saw it. Them. They were humungous, the ship perhaps a speck compared to their size and they were truly battling. It was a tangled mess of tentacles and rocks from the seafloor miles and miles below them. Farid felt fear, the same fear from when she was with the King and a bit from what she felt from her Dad. But there was something that was born from that fear and that the King had reminded her.

 ** _“Hatchlings are weak but that doesn’t mean they cannot become strong.”_** There was no way she could one day surpass the King or the two Creatures fighting below but she could at least be like her Dad. And she would be.

They didn’t know how long they witnessed the fight of the titans and it was only when the waters calmed down that they knew they had left the range of the fight. The four made their way back to the suite in a stupor and seeing them like that Astoria worriedly asked what had happened. That questions unleashed Teddy’s excitement and described what he saw with his limited vocabulary. Neither Draco nor Astoria understood his rapid words but it was with his gestures and nifty transformation, thanks to being a Metamorphmagus, that they realized what they were being told.

Farid looked at Teddy being a true child, unlike her who had already suffered the cruelty of people at her short five years, with a small smile. Sometimes he envied him for behaving that way when she couldn’t. She was happy with her new life but there were things that you just couldn’t forget.

“That’s fine Farid.” Luna said crouching in front of the girl knowing, somehow, her thoughts. “Iolanthe was just like you at your age, so it’s fine if you feel like that. You just need to know that Iolanthe will do her best to give you what she didn’t have. A true childhood.” Farid again didn’t get what Luna was saying but the words comforted her and she nodded. “Oh and no matter what you decide, I’m sure Iolanthe will support you.” Farid didn’t know how Luna did it but those words, she was able to understand them. She was elated hearing that because she didn’t know she was afraid that her Mom wouldn’t accept her.

Looking at the blonde woman in front of her, Farid hugged her. **_“Thank you.”_**

The sun was setting when they fully came out of the storm and the Captain once again called for the passengers to come out to the observation deck because they had arrived to the place where they would spend two nights. Everybody could see from afar that they were close to a cluster of forest islands from which they could see lights. The Captain explained that the islands contained hotels, shops and restaurants for them to enjoy for the following two days. Docking, the people could see the loveliness of the place.

From the dock they went up a few ramps until they reached hanging bridges leading to big treehouses that acted as shops, restaurants and even hotels. Everything in that jungle-like place was a treehouse connected by hanging bridges. People were enchanted by the sight and went roaming around. The only big group in the cruise conformed of Draco and the others instead went to look for a hotel to settle in and then come out to look for a restaurant.

The hotels there rented either lone rooms in a different treehouse or the whole treehouse. As they could afford it, they rented a small treehouse. After taking a rest in their treehouse, they went out to enjoy the night life in the little town of hanging houses. Contrary to what they expected, the place was very lively; there were many restaurant and bars which played live music. Curiously, each restaurant was different, serving food from different countries.

“We should try Farid’s home country food.” Luna suddenly said pointing at a restaurant that was on the side.

“Sounds nice, I have always wanted to try Indian Food.” Astoria agreed taking the first step towards the restaurant.

The inside of the restaurant was really aromatic making their stomachs grumble with hunger. Sitting at the biggest table they found, they looked at the menu of countless dishes and faced the trouble of not knowing what to choose. “Maybe we should let Farid choose the dishes?” Rolf suggested making everybody look at the girl in expectancy.

Farid hadn’t tried many of the dishes in the menu while she lived with the old man. It was only while she went around with Iolanthe and Reborn that she could finally taste them. Their time in India was rather short so they couldn’t eat them all; still, thanks to the pictures in the menu, she was able to identify some of the ones she had tried so she pointed at them when the waiter took their order. The waiter didn’t look surprised that the girl was the one making the order, after all, she was wearing a lovely white and soft pink saree betraying her origins.

Soon everybody was faced with colorful and aromatic dishes. From Dal Makhani, Sali Boti, Hyderabadi Biryani to Bhapaa Aloo, Rogan Josh, Khichdi and as dessert Kheer. If they weren’t people taught to eat with style and elegantly, then they would have been gobbling all the dishes; they still ate faster than normal. That’s how delicious the food was and everybody constantly praised Farid for her choice. Farid smiled with fangs, teeth and all, very happy with their gestures and expressions since she couldn’t understand what they were saying. They contentedly made their way back to their treehouse to rest.

The whole following day was spent exploring around the islands that were connected by the same hanging yet sturdier bridges. From one of the bridges, they could see some sort of geyser on one side of one of the islands. Curious about it, they asked for directions and then headed towards the geyser. They found that the place was really popular as a lot of people from other cruise ships were gathered there too. Luna and Rolf, like the expert Magizoologists they were, never once missed the opportunity to take pictures and even were able to get one of everybody right when the geyser spit the column of water.

The other islands had many small souvenir shops, clothe shops, accessories shops, shoe stores and so on. Looking around the souvenir shops, they found curious paintings. “Excuse me, what does this painting mean?” Unable to contain his curiosity, Rolf asked one of the clerks in the shop. The painting was of the sea, a clear sea with an immense whale swimming in it. What caught their attention, however, was the back of the whale, it had some sort of forest on it.

The clerk smiled and explained. “This is a painting from the islands.”

Luna’s eyes sparkled getting the meaning of the clerk. “We are on the whale!” Everybody’s eyes widened at her words. It was no wonder they felt the island was different and it was not only because of the treehouses but because there would be times they could hear some sort of humming and the floor of the forest flooded in the early morning. They were on a whale, a massive whale that had an island on its back.

“Does that mean we are travelling on a whale?” They couldn’t feel it but it was implied that the whale was moving and them with it. The clerk nodded with a smile answering Rolf’s question. Rolf never thought this type of Creature existed. _No wonder it’s the Bermuda Triangle,_ he thought. He didn’t doubt on buying one of the paintings as souvenir for his grandpa. He was sure he would love it.

Draco and Astoria bought little presents too for Draco’s parents and Luna looked around the place to look for something special for Iolanthe and Reborn. None of the things there caught her attention so she decided to continue looking in another shop.

What she did buy was a huge painting of the island-whale for Farid and another one for Teddy with the forest and treehouses in it. The paintings were big enough to cover the whole wall in a room so they were as good as murals. They were also expensive but luckily with Iolanthe, Draco and Luna, they had a shared vault that they used for travelling expenses. Most of the money there was from Iolanthe but Luna and Draco also contributed to it so they had no qualms in using it freely.

Since the trip came rather unexpectedly, they had forgotten to ask Iolanthe for money for Farid and Teddy so it was a relief that vault existed. The two kids got a nice souvenir from it. It wasn’t until Luna traversed through all the souvenir shops that she found a rather nice souvenir for Iolanthe.

They spent another night in those island-whales before sailing once again to make their way back to Britain. Those islands where the destination of the cruise, the highlight of the trip but if they thought that was the end of the things to see, then they were wrong. The way back also had its charms. There was no starry sea but they did sail through the caves of an active volcano. The caves were spacious and magma leaked from its walls. The temperature was high and many feared the ship would sink because of the boiling water but they worried for nothing.

The ship steadily sailed through the hot waters for half a day and it was completely fine. Coming out from those caves, they even witnessed a waterfall of magma on one side of the cliffs from the volcano. And even after that they went through an emerald sea that had countless corals and even a community of Merpeople living in it. Traversing through that sea, the passengers once again made their way to the ‘Aquarium’ from where they could clearly sea the colorful seabed and the Merpeople who were curious enough to get close to the ship.

That was the last attraction they were able to witness in the Bermuda Triangle before coming out from another foggy sea and making their way back to Britain in the normal Atlantic Ocean.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if you read between lines then you found out that the Black House in Italy isn't being used by the Vongola. Actually, it is quite simple why Reborn is interested in it :D You will know more about it on chapter 33 when they go to Italy. 
> 
> I feel the chapter wasn't up to standard but it's one of my favorites because it shows the first glimpse of Farid's development which will define what I want to make with her by the time I write the Future Arc. At the pace I'm going, we will most likely enter the official KHR timeline around chapter 40 so I am a bit excited to get there, but first we need to end these chapters that lay the foundation of the fic. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter and if you have any doubts or questions, don't be afraid to voice them in the comments :D


	31. The best is yet to come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next best answer they found to their Harmonization.
> 
> A visit to Mafia Land under the eyes of the Vongola and the Varia, with the latter planning something. 
> 
> Reborn gives Iolanthe his Potter courtship gift and dabs into what it means to be a Dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you guys ever thought that Reborn looks really Frank Sinatra? If you don't know who the man is, go look him up, he was a famous singer more than 50 years ago :D
> 
> And so we owe it to the marvelous and sexy voice of Mr. Sinatra for the two songs Reborn sung for Iolanthe for his Potter courtship gift. If you are interested in the songs, they are called 'The best is yet to come' and 'It had to be you'.
> 
> For the ones who know, 'The best is yet to come' was first sung by Tonny Bennett and both are really good but I chose the one from Mr. Sinatra because it adapts better to Reborn's mischievous side. Or at least that's what I thought. 
> 
> I spent two hours just looking for a song that was perfect for Reborn to sing. I found Mr. Sinatra and got pregnant just from listening to his songs xD jk, but we gotta accept his voice was very nice. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for reading!

* * *

 

“Renato!” Iolanthe suddenly yelled startling Reborn and almost making him cut his cheek with the razor shaver if it wasn’t for Leon reacting quickly and transforming back. He didn’t wait for a second and quickly made his way down to the Family Room from where Iolanthe yelled.

“What? What happened?” He asked on guard looking around the room.

Iolanthe was surprised seeing him appear not even two seconds after she called for him; he was really fast. She almost laughed at seeing half his face covered in shaving foam but almost choked when she noticed he wasn’t wearing anything on him. She had already seen him like that but there were times she still got shy. Trying her best to remain nonchalant, she said, “I was searching through books of Soul Magic from the Peverell vaults and I think I found the reason for the Harmonization you mentioned before.”

“Oh, it’s about that. What did you find?” Iolanthe felt her scalp tingled when he just stood there, crossing his arms over his chest and letting Leon finish the shaving. She knew she shouldn’t have gone Black on him the day before, she was just too happy with him and his decision to readily accept Teddy and she wanted to reward him. Now, he was taking a mile after she only gave an inch. Iolanthe didn’t trust her voice to say a thing and she just levitated the book towards him. “A slavery contract?” She shook her head and gestured him to read the other one. “A contract of equality?”

One of the reason why Soul Magic was prohibited and considered one of the Forbidden Magics in Britain was because of these contracts. It wasn’t really considered Soul Magic since it didn’t involve the soul but it was catalogue as such due to the fact that it involved the Magic of the person, the next most important thing to a Wizard. Put in simple terms, these contracts were an imprint in someone else’s Magic. The Slavery Contract, for example, marked a Wizard as the slave of another one. Through that imprint, the ‘Master’ would be able to discern the slave’s emotions to have a better control on the slave.

Of course, the moment the ‘Master’ didn’t have any use of the slave then they would be able to kill their slave through that imprint syphoning the Magic from the slave and leaving a corpse. It was a barbaric practice from many years ago when some Wizards lived so precariously that they didn’t mind being subjected to such contract just to have something to eat and somewhere to live.

However, not all contracts were bad. The Equality Contract, as the name suggested, was a contract that let two people enter a relationship of equality. In olden times, it was really hard to know who was sincere and who wasn’t and it was this equality contract that let people know the true feelings of each other; it wasn’t one-sided like the Slavery Contract. The curious thing was that even if the contract wasn’t bad in any kind, it was extremely rare for people to use it. The most common situation in which it was practiced was in marriages between two powerful Families.

Through this contract, the involved parties were intrinsically connected to one another; it really helped those Arranged Marriages to succeed. The vow Iolanthe and Reborn did when they signed their Marriage was a basic form of this contract. They didn’t do the whole ritual stipulated for this type of contract but they still did the exchange of Magicks. Iolanthe had experimented a bit after she read about it and if she fully concentrated almost to the point of meditating, she would be able to feel her Husband’s feelings as some sort of echo inside her. She thought, however, that if the feeling was really strong then she would be able to normally discern it.

Well, there were many things she wasn’t sure about it but she guesses this was the best answer she could find.

“This might be plausible.” Reborn concluded after reading about the contract. “Harmonization is basically a connection between the Guardian and the Sky. By all means, Harmonization between different Magicks shouldn’t have been possible but if we did this exchange of Magicks, with your Magic lodging inside me and my Flames inside you, then it is close enough.”

“Yes, it must have been like that.” Iolanthe said after composing herself a bit. “Alright, this is what I wanted you to know, you may go back.” She hurriedly stood, taking back the book from his hands and briskly going to the shelves to place it where she found it.

She wasn’t able to be relieved when strong arms trapped her and pulled her to a strong chest. “Why, Iolanthe, don’t you want to experiment a bit with our Harmonization?” He purred in her ear to then nip it.

Iolanthe was sure that that type of experiment was useless; she wouldn’t know if the desire she felt was hers or her Husband’s. She also knew that once they began, then they would end until deed was done. Neither could resist each other. But Iolanthe wanted to be stronger, not because she didn’t want to do it with Reborn, it was just… she discovered she liked it, from time to time, to be the one in control. She extremely enjoyed everything he did to her yet after that conversation with Narcissa, she wanted to somehow reciprocate to him.

Uncovering her stubbornness, she ignored the hand that was dangerously roaming her inner thigh, the other one that was cupping her lower abdomen as if reminding him that there was a being there and his lips that had latched onto her neck. Next, in an act of wandless nonverbal Magic, she sent him to the nearest couch, leaving him sitting. Taking a deep breath, not bothering to fix the thin robe that precariously hung on her shoulders, she turned around and looked at him with a haughty expression.

“You want to experiment, Renato? Sure thing, let’s experiment.”

Reborn watched with so much interest, so much desire, so much expectation and so much indulgence at Iolanthe who did an amazing job at being naughty and taking control. She was still inexperienced but she was well on her way to being an enchantress; an enchantress only for him. He liked that very much.

What she did the day before was mild. He still enjoyed it very much, but at that moment… his ever-present smirk almost collapsed seeing her going to her knees in front of him. Right, fuck, he was never going to forget that. Not when he was left dazed and spent sitting in that couch for minutes even after she was done and left with a triumphant smile.

He loudly exhaled standing up with shaky legs. That was turning to be the best week of his life if the wide smile on his face was something to go by. He still needed to give her his last courtship gift and what he had been hiding for so long in a small box.

 

…

 

“I had no idea you were so famous in the Mafia World.” Iolanthe breezily commented looking towards Reborn not paying attention to the microphone almost poking her face.

“And I had no idea they would know about me bringing you to Mafia Land.” Reborn replied with a twitch in his brow. He had explicitly told Shamal to make it a private matter with few people knowing. He could even see someone reporting live to who knows what TV Station about him, Sun Arcobaleno and the Greatest Hitman, bringing his hidden woman to vacation in Mafia Land. He attributed it to the famous Potter Luck, nothing came out according to plan. Not even his Potter courtship gift.

“Ok, back off you!” Iolanthe commanded releasing her Magic and sending all the reporters flying. “Really, the nerve of these people. One only wants to spend a good time in this resort made with dirty money and pesky flies won’t let me.” She grumbled, storming inside the hotel.

She had had a great morning eating until she couldn’t anymore in that cruise that arrived at Spanish waters where Mafia Land was currently moving through only for her good mood to be ruined by reporters. She blamed her Husband for not telling her he was famous in the Mafia. She was an expert at ignoring the Media -like the camera that was filming her at that moment- but not when they almost ate her with their eyes full of curiosity; it was too creepy.  

Reborn followed Iolanthe after rejecting all the reporters outside, arriving at the nick of time to witness the tense atmosphere between his Wife and the receptionist. “What do you mean I can’t check-in without an invitation or letter of recommendation?”

To her credit, the receptionist didn’t back down to the pressure even if she was sweating profusely and stuttered her answer. “Policy of the place. We need to test your qualifications as Mafia.” Reborn wanted to kill Shamal right there and then. He knew the booking was made like that to trouble Iolanthe.

Calming down, Iolanthe smiled. “Alright, let’s do this test.” The smile only spooked the receptionist even more and thought she needed to stop working there, no matter if the pay was good.

Iolanthe followed the trembling lady towards a side room, the man with the camera right behind her and Reborn at the end. “This is a government official. You need to use the appropriate way to bribe him.” Done with her explanation, the receptionist ran away from the room. Iolanthe eyed the man sitting on an opulent chair and then at the stack of money on her palm the receptionist gave her before fleeing. She conjured a chair and primly sat on it, then she conjured a tea set which automatically began preparing her a cup.

Reborn stayed put by the door anticipating her actions while the camera kept filming her. Reborn, after some thought, guessed to whom the camera was recording live. The Ottava and Nono. They really wanted to know everything about Iolanthe.

Minutes passed and Iolanthe was calmly enjoying her tea. The man on the opulent chair hadn’t moved at all and only looked at her with squinting eyes. After she was done with her tea, under the eyes of the man, she put the money in her bag and looked at him with a serious face.

“Account number 71 0961 2344 7659 in Belgium. Account number 91 1000 6620 0123 4501 51 in Germany. Account number 44 2000 0001 2345 6789 1234 in Saudi Arabia. All under different names but the real name of the person is Andre Veneto.” She drawled seeing how the man in front of her tightened his face. “I have friends who would be very interested in investigating these accounts; more so, I have friends with enough talent to take away the businesses from where the money in those accounts come from.”

The man couldn’t stay calm any longer. “That’s not a bribe, that’s a threat.” Yet he still tried to remain strong before her.

“Oh, it really was a threat. The deal is that I will keep silent, not divulging this information and you will tell that receptionist to let me stay here. How’s that? It’s a good offer.” She beamed at the man who looked constipated.

 

…

 

In Italy, Vongola Mansion.

A woman cackled frightening the people who had no idea what was going on. Inside a study, Nono and the Ottava watched the events developing in Mafia Land through the live broadcasting. The Ottava had to agree with that Shamal; Reborn’s Wife was really beautiful and such a force to be reckoned with. They way she made those reporters back off and how she left that Mafioso who acted as a government official to test newbie Mafiosi was pure gold. Especially that last one, what bribe, what deal, that was plain blackmail and she even did it with a smile on her face. Reborn didn’t lose out in the Marriage.

“Don’t be so excited this early, Mother.” Nono reminded the Ottava.

“She’s a civilian, Timoteo, and she handled that better than many Mafiosi. She even took the money for herself.” The old lady retorted. In her book, there was already a seal of approval for Iolanthe. “Besides, did you see how they appeared holding hands? Not once had I seen Reborn being this mellow with a lover of his. The subtle way he protected her and the looks between each other. No matter what we say, Timoteo, Reborn won’t renounce to her.”

The way she used Magic was not mentioned since they were aware of her abilities, it was to what extent she would use them that worried them. Though seeing her so invested in their Sun Arcobaleno meant that she was serious and she wouldn’t do anything that would hurt him or the Mafia World. Reborn even said that they were visited by the Vindice to validate the Marriage. Even if she left the Vindice quaking in their boots, Omertà was their law; civilian, Magical or Flame user, once in, they all had to abide to it.

And it was more than obvious that she had used one of her abilities to get that information from that Mafioso she blackmailed.

“We still don’t know how she will affect the Mafia World by being married to Reborn.” Nono said.

The Ottava didn’t deem to reply because she was already planning something that involved Reborn’s Magical Wife and one of her Grandsons.

In Varia Headquarters.

“VOOIIII!!! That Arcobaleno is such a lucky bastard!” Squalo exclaimed focused on the screen of the TV they had installed in his office after they hacked the signal of the broadcast from Vongola Headquarters. They were able to do so because the cameraman was someone from the Varia. Never underestimate Varia Quality. Anyway, he was staring intently at the woman who had arrived with that Arcobaleno.

“Never mind about that!” Mammon snapped at Squalo who had yelled beside them. “She had the symbol!” It was just for a moment but Mammon was able to see it.

“What symbol?” Squalo asked.

“We have been trying to track the person who was able to return the Arcobalenos to their normal form but all Mammon was able to discover was this symbol.” Lussuria replied presenting the paper from the last spiritual picture. The triangle, the circle and the line.

“Shishishi, this Prince was able to see it too. That’s the symbol of British royalty.” A pre-teen with a wide grin commented.

“Why didn’t you say that before, Bel!?” Lussuria reprimanded the pre-teen.

“You didn’t ask this Prince.” Belphegor dismissed with a grin.

“Shitty Prince, explain!” Squalo demanded pointing his sword at Belphegor who ignored it and pointed a knife back at Squalo.

“Don’t threaten this Prince.” Belphegor said not once dropping his grin. “That is the symbol of the Peverells, the servants of Death. A Magical line known for Necromancy and Soul Magic. If there is someone who would be able to do something to the Arcobaleno Curse then it should be them.”

“Magic? That was not Mist work?” Asked a bewildered Lussuria recalling how the woman made a chair and a tea set appear out of nowhere.

“Ushishishi, that’s why you are plebeians. You know nothing about this world.” Belphegor laughed.

Ignoring the offensive words of Bel, the others thought about what they have discovered. Servants of Death, Magicals, the only ones able to mess up with the Arcobaleno Curse. There was much more to this pretty woman than brilliant blackmail and the ability to marry the Sun Arcobaleno -according to their gossip, ahem, information. Said arcobaleno who also had his normal form and that made them conclude that such feat was thanks to the woman he was escorting up their room in the broadcast.

“Hmm, I heard she is visiting the Ottava in a few days. Don’t you think we should present ourselves, Varia Style?” Squalo suggested with an unholy smirk that got the attention of the others in the room. And so they planned.

 

…

 

Iolanthe had never truly enjoyed the beach so the first thing she did after successfully checking-in and settling in their room was change into her swimsuit, clad herself in a beach kimono and flip flops to then make her way to the beach. She didn’t even care if Reborn wanted to accompany her or not. Though the matter of Reborn not going with her was really far-fetched. He hadn’t had the pleasure of seeing Iolanthe in a swimsuit before and he wasn’t going to give other men the chance to do it first before him.

Reality proved his decision to be the right one when he looked wide-eyed at his Wife’s toned body in that white, red fish-patterned monokini when she took off her kimono. More than one man turned their head towards her. Reborn was aware that without her glasses, Iolanthe was a real beauty and more than once he had thought of telling her to buy contacts but seeing the attention she was garnering while she confidently flaunted her humanity, then all those thoughts vanished like smoke; his possessiveness rearing its ugly and proud head.

Contrary to how she looked outside, Iolanthe was a nervous wreck inside. When she was younger and even during her teenage years, she was a wiry person. She was mostly muscle due to her chores and almost no meat to fill her up thanks to her malnutrition; she was sure that it was because of the malnutrition that she started developing really late. It was only after war was done and her life became stable that she gained the body she had. It wasn’t bombastic curves and a ravishing figure yet she was the owner of C cups and a perky ass. She just didn’t show it to all and sundry, that’s why she was nervous.

There was no point in mentioning her scars. She might not be confident in her body but her scars were her most proud assets. They were proof that she was alive despite going through so much and she wasn’t scared of showing them. And maybe that was the reason why she looked even more beautiful in the eyes of those Mafiosi -and let’s not forget Reborn who loves tracing those scars. There were few women who were able to show without any ounce of shame the blemishes in their bodies and the confident stance from Iolanthe was so refreshing they couldn’t help giving her a glance or two.

Oblivious to the gazes, Iolanthe freely swam… eh, wrong, freely splashed in the cool, shallow water since she couldn’t swim. She had forgotten about that tidbit of information in her nervousness until the water almost reached her waist and didn’t dare go further, much less try to swim.

“You are really bad for my blood pressure.” A rough voice said encircling her body in an embrace. 

Iolanthe laughed recognizing the full of desire voice of her Husband. “Not my fault you were in celibate for so many years.” She mocked not at all bothered by what was poking her lower back.

“And you became my sin, you must pay for it.” He replied shamelessly.  

“We are in a public place.” Iolanthe softly reminded him knowing very well what he wanted.

“Unfortunately,” he sighed dejected. Yet he vowed that as soon as they were back at their room, he would have his wicked way with her. “Let’s go swim then, it will distract me from your gorgeous body.”

He pulled Iolanthe to deeper waters only to be stopped by her. “I can’t swim.” She confessed with a blushing face. Reborn’s mouth twitched. He wanted to laugh but he knew she wouldn’t appreciate that. She had entered the water as if she owned it yet it resulted that she couldn’t swim.

“Come, I’ll teach you.”

Iolanthe was able to experience Reborn’s spartan teachings the rest of the afternoon. It was a downgraded version compared to what he made Dino go through their training yet it was still exhausting. It was only her stubbornness and the fact that she was actually seeing results that she never complained. By the end of their session, Reborn made sure she wouldn’t drown if she was suddenly thrown into any body of deep water no matter the circumstances. She was really tired and had no complaints in being carried princess-style up their room only to begin a different kind of session thanks to her passionate Husband.

He still cut it short because he said he had made dinner reservations in the most luxurious Hall of the hotel.

The dining place was small yet, as he had said, it was truly luxurious. The tables were circular, a fancy tablecloth covering them and with comfortable, armchair-like chairs. There were many expensive and elegant decorations around the room. The illumination was in charge of an enormous crystal chandelier that bathed the room with a subtle light making the place more classy. There was a second floor that was more of a platform where a chamber orchestra was playing giving the place a soothing ambiance, and that everybody could see.

Iolanthe was enchanted by the room and she mentally forgave her Husband after that swimming lesson. Her Husband who was shockingly wearing a white waistcoat suit with a black shirt and purple tie. The purple tie that matched with her purple, white gradient sheath gown. With purple in the sweetheart neckline top, starting turning white by the waist. Her hair was done in an elaborate hairdo by an expert hairdresser and adorned with a tiara-like headpiece of pearls and amethysts. She also wore the matching lavender pearl earrings and pendant.

She thought it was too much for a simple dinner but she was happy knowing that all the set was chosen and bought by her Husband. She did complain about the tall high heels to match his height and in which she couldn’t normally walked without the help of Reborn.

The maître d’ took both Reborn and Iolanthe to one of the tables in the middle that had been prepared beforehand as a table for two in comparison to the other tables that had four chairs. Many people who were already inside the dining room recognized Reborn and began whispering among themselves. Used to the whispering, they calmly walked and sat at their table graciously accepting the menus from the waiter who was already waiting for them.

Iolanthe pouted when she noticed the menu was completely in Italian and couldn’t understand a word of it. “I’m at your mercy.” She declared putting her menu down and taking a sip of water from her cup.

“Is there something you would like in special?” He asked knowing well that she couldn’t read the menu.

“I only know pizza, pasta and Risotto, Renato. I don’t think such common dishes would be served here.” She said. The place was very elegant, after all.

“They do.”

“You are kidding me!” He chuckled at her astonished face.

“I’m not. They are common but popular dishes so if they don’t have them in the menu then they really should close down their restaurant.” He watched amused how her eyes twinkled and he didn’t need to be a genius to know what she was thinking. “We can order a pizza. I heard the Risotto is not that good but their Carbonara is the best. That and the Tuscan ribs. Do you want to try the Gelato?” His answer was effusive nodding from her.

Signaling for the waiter, Reborn placed their order while Iolanthe kept sipping her water. Only after the waiter left that she felt something was missing. “Renato, what about my drink?”

“Iolanthe, all drinks have liquor here.” He explained.

“But I can… never mind, I can’t.” She retracted her words with a pout. It was her opportunity to finally try some Italian drinks and she couldn’t drink. “Quickly grow and be born, Mommy wants to get drunk with Daddy.” She joked patting her still flat belly making Reborn laugh at her words.

“I did ask for a pineapple and cranberry juice for you. It just doesn’t have the alcohol it usually has.” He told her.

“Oh, so attentive of you, Mr. Sinclair.” She purred in a low voice naughtily caressing his leg with her bare foot under the covered table. Luckily the table was small enough to let her short legs reach him.

“Only for you, Mrs. Sinclair.” He replied grabbing that misbehaving foot, his fingers doing what they did best on her skin.

Their naming dynamics was a bit complicated and funny. Officially and in the papers that declared them Husband and Wife, they are Renato and Iolanthe Sinclair. Yet to the Wizarding World and due to convoluted Magical laws and politics, he had taken his Wife’s surname making them Lord and Lady Potter. And yet to the Mafia World -thanks to the nifty Fidelius Charm- they are simply Reborn and Iolanthe Potter. Neither was basically wrong. They had just decided recently that their official surname was for Family only, while the Lord and Lady Potter thing was for everybody else.

Their teasing was cut short when the food arrived and while they ate, they talked about what to do about Farid’s communication problem. It wouldn’t be a problem between the two of them; Iolanthe was the only one able to actually have a conversation with her and even if Reborn could understand her, she couldn’t understand him. Reborn was adamant in making her learn English like any normal girl so she wouldn’t feel isolated by the fact that she knew nothing of the language. Iolanthe agreed with it though that only solved part of the problem.

She voiced her idea of learning the BSL to help her communicate her thoughts. Reborn liked the idea but wasn’t really enthused by it so he came up with something even better: their own sign language. He was Mafia after all, secrecy was inlaid in his bones. The language would be taught only to Family and close friends in case neither Iolanthe nor Reborn were around.

“Are you able to really do it?” Iolanthe asked sipping her juice, their food already gone.

“It’s not that hard.” He voiced confident.

“I don’t doubt you being able to create it, what I am worried is if you can teach her and me with your pudgy fingers.” Her words made his thoughts halt. Right, he was going back to his tiny body in a few days. He was getting used to having his normal body that he had forgotten about it for a moment. He didn’t know how to feel about that.

However, he didn’t dwell too much on it and quickly came out with a solution. “You will have to learn it first. You are able to clearly see my fingers through the blurry normal form so it will be easier for you. Once you learn it and Farid through you, then having gotten used to the signs, I don’t think my short fingers will be a problem anymore.”

Iolanthe was a bit sad hearing him talk about his reality so freely and with a dismissive attitude. She was sure he was not content with it, but there was nothing they were able to do at the moment. It was after so much effort and sacrifice that he was able to get a week with his normal body. Talbot had said that he was investigating about the Pacifiers as a Crafting Master; that gave Iolanthe a bit of hope that some day in the future, her Husband would be able to go back to normal for good. She hadn’t told Reborn that tidbit of information because it was not a certainty.

Since it was a mere wishful possibility then there was no need to say anything about it. What she could do was keep studying the Curse and through that information perhaps help Talbot with whatever he wanted to come up with.

“I leave that to you, then.” She finally agreed giving him a sweet smile that evoked all her trust, her confidence and love put in him.

Reborn didn’t know why she would suddenly smile like that. It messed with his head and twisted something in his chest in an inexplicable way that his only thought was to run away. He instantly threw that thought aside though because he had already gotten in trouble for doing that before -not intentionally but still running away in his book. So, he calmed down and kissed her hand reciprocating a bit of her feelings towards him. Or at last he thought he did, seeing her blush and act coy with him.

He excused himself unless he did something not appropriate for public eyes saying he was going to the bathroom. Iolanthe nodded and went back to sipping her juice.

Alone, she was able to eye the room and the people in it. The room was fine, the music from the orchestra was fine, the people were not fine. Men gave her a few glances from time to time, though it was nothing serious; it was the women that were looking at her with such poisonous gazes that she was sure she had died in gruesome ways in their minds. It wasn’t the first time she had noticed it. Many women eyed her Husband with hungry eyes as if he was some piece of delicious meat.

Well, she admitted that he was a delicious piece of meat but it was her meat! She had already marked him as hers and any other woman who approached him with impure thoughts would be eliminated. Her Magic acted according to her thoughts and an oppressive aura leaked from her making all those women quickly look away, their eyes reflecting fear. She smirked smugly and continued giving her attention to her juice, waiting for her Husband.

Suddenly the lights dimmed except for the one in the orchestra making them all believe they would play a special performance. The piano began to play solo as if improvising until the pianist finally decided on a melody. After a couple of notes, a voice suddenly began to sing. Iolanthe almost choked recognizing the voice and she almost got whiplash due to how fast she turned to see the person singing.    

 _“Out of the tree of life I just picked me a plum.”_ The drums and trumpets joined. _“You came along and everything started to hum. Still it's a real good bet, the best is yet to come.”_ People were surprised seeing the famous Hitman, Reborn, singing in front of a crowd but nobody could rival Iolanthe in shock.

Reborn always gave a feeling of steadiness, of not joking around, of being reliable. Of course he had his sense of humor and accepted jokes easily, let’s not forget that he likes disguises but singing… Singing never came to Iolanthe’s mind as part of her Husband’s repertoire of abilities and yet there he was, sensually singing with such a rich voice that melted Iolanthe into a puddle of goo.

 _“Best is yet to come, and babe won't that be fine?”_ A saxophone sounded giving the song and by consequence Reborn, who was singing, a classy vibe. _“You think you've seen the sun. But you ain't seen it shine.”_ Lights finally focused on his figure coolly sitting on the piano.

His jacket was gone but a white fedora made its way on his head. Iolanthe could feel his intense gaze on her making her heartbeat accelerate; she felt his words were some sort of subliminal message but she couldn’t care less about it. Not when she could see Reborn being so sexy with his clothes on.

 _“A wait til the warm up's under way.”_ The lights momentarily flicked and his figure had disappeared from where he was, only to appear beside Iolanthe, _“Wait til our lips have met!”_ he sang giving her a quick, teasing peck to then pour himself a cup from the wine he had been drinking before. _“And wait til you see that sunshine day. You ain't seen nothing yet!”_

 _“The best is yet to come and babe won't it be fine? Best is yet to come, come the day you're mine.”_ Done pouring his wine, he sipped on it while casually leaning on the table but still glancing at her. The trumpets were getting louder. Iolanthe was petrified by his performance. She could vaguely notice that she had been put on the spot thanks to it but her eyes were set on seeing him.

 _“Come the day you're mine.”_ He whispered in her ear and in a fast movement he had grabbed her by the waist and carried her upstairs where everybody could see them. _“I'm gonna teach you to fly. We've only tasted the wine. We're gonna drain the cup dry.”_ He finished his wine in one gulp and threw the cup aside not caring if it could hit someone.

The music was quickly leading to its climax. _“Wait til your charms are right for these arms to surround. You think you've flown before but baby you ain't left the ground.”_ Reborn twirled her around the little space left aside for their dancing truly making her fly with those twirls.

 _“Wait till you're locked in my embrace. Wait til I draw you near. And wait til you see that sunshine place. Ain't nothing like it here.”_ He expertly danced her around. Iolanthe, who was a horrible dancer with two left feet, was marveled that never once she stepped on him and she felt like they had been dancing together for years.

After the twirls, turns, even wrapping her in a typical swing move, the music got slower and both danced sensually to the rhythm until the end of the music with Reborn singing to her ear. _“The best is yet to come and babe won't it be fine? The best is yet to come, come the day you're mine. Come the day you're mine and you're gonna be mine.”_ He ended the song with giving her a big kiss in front of the crowd who was effusively clapping. At least the men were. The women were just full of jealousy and resentment.

Iolanthe was in a stupor. Her head was a mess and working at a snail-like pace so she couldn’t come up with the reason why he was doing all that. She could only use the trusty good old Legilimency to glean his thoughts but she was only able to read it was his last courtship gift until she finally noticed the position he was in right in front of her. Her eyes widened, her mouth a perfect O due to shock.

The clapping had also abruptly stopped seeing Reborn, the Greatest Hitman, Sun Arcobaleno and according to rumors, the strongest Arcobaleno going down on his knee before the woman they all thought was just one more of his lovers. It was as clear as day that she wasn’t with his actions. Men were impressed by what he had done just for her. Women were fuming and glaring daggers at Iolanthe. All this meant that the most sought after bachelor in the Mafia World would be taken and out of the market.

(Though he was already taken and even waiting his first kid but just a selected few knew about that.)

That tidbit of information quickly made it through the Mafia World. It was the most talked about news for a while and everybody and their dog wanted to know who was the woman their mighty Hitman was hooked to and so, an investigation ensued. The Ottava laughed delighted hearing what Reborn had done since the live broadcast wasn’t able to make it. And that was thanks to Reborn who had beaten up the cameraman because he didn’t want any in the Vongola mansion to see him at that moment.

But back at the dumbfounded and astonished Iolanthe. She didn’t know how to react to what Reborn was doing. The ring in the box was very elaborate. It was a three band, silver ring with tiny yellow moonstones inlaid in the bands and a big round citrine gemstone right in the middle. She could barely discern -with how focused she was looking at that ring- that the citrine was somehow carved in the inside with a flower-like pattern. She finally reacted when he began to recite, string instruments accompanying him.

_“Why do I do just as you say? Why must I just give you your way? Why do I sigh? Why don't I try to forget? It must have been that something lovers call fate. Kept me saying ‘I had to wait’. I saw them all. Just couldn't fall 'til we met.”_

It was obvious that this was not an engagement ring since they were already married, she just couldn’t believe he had gone and made one for her. This gave their Marriage a whole new meaning and that he was truly taking her seriously. The implication made her heart beat so fast; she was even more nervous than the time they had had sex without the help of the potion. Not trusting her voice -and because there was nothing for her to say-, she only extended her left hand which he took and ever so slowly put the ring in the ring finger.

It snuggly adjusted to her finger telling her that the ring was made by a Wizard and that it also had all the corresponding Charms for a spouse ring. Once the ring sat in her finger, she thought it was all over but she was wrong when music started to play and he gathered her in his arms to slowly sway around to the slow melody while singing in her ear.

_“It had to be you. It had to be you. I wandered around and I finally found the somebody who could make me be true and could make me be blue. And even be glad, just to be sad, thinking of you.”_

Iolanthe was sporting a mighty blush. She had heard the song before and was aware that it was basically a confession. It was strange to her that she reacted stronger when it came to feelings than to instances that involved carnal pleasure. She just could conclude that after so long, her soul was tired and with it her heart. So, all she wanted was a bit of reassurance and to find someone who could give it to her. Loving Reborn gave her hope that she had found that someone.

And she considered this song perfect for the both of them so she willingly leaned on her Husband to enjoy the soothing swaying and warmth radiating from his body.    
  
_“Some others I've seen. Might never be mean, might never be cross or try to be boss. But they wouldn't do.”_

She also enjoyed peeking at those seething women below and even smiled smugly at them which only enraged them more.

 _“For nobody else gave me a thrill_ _. With all your faults…”_ It was inevitable and a bit disappointing to Iolanthe when he couldn’t even say the ‘I love you still’ from the song. But she appreciated his sincerity, the fact that even if there was no love from his part, he was still willing to do all this for her. She sighed and grazed her lips on his neck to show her gratitude. His hands twitched while holding her and he almost missed the note to keep singing. _“It had to be you. Wonderful you. It had to be you.”_

The instrumental part gave Iolanthe a chance to voice out what she thought of what he did and it could be summed up in three words. “I hate you.” She said. She had always been in the eyes of people for her fame in the Wizarding World yet when she arrived at Mafia Land she was just ‘Reborn’s woman’. It was a somewhat dislikeable title but she was thankful for it. Basically nobody knew her!

However, that anonymity was ruined by her Husband who performed such acts in front of all these people who would more than likely start investigating her and paying her more attention -thing she didn’t want. But what’s done was done and she could only voice her discontentment.

“No, you don’t.” Was his cheeky reply and Iolanthe wanted to bash him right there and then.

But she had to give it to him. “No, I don’t.” She sighed. “I guess then, this is our wedding ceremony? We have the venue, the invitees, the clothes, the ring, even the music.” She joked.

Reborn chuckled. “You can think of it like that... _For nobody else gave me a thrill. With all your faults, I like you still.”_ He couldn’t say love but he still liked her enough. _“It had to be you. Wonderful you. It had to be you.”_

He gave her a final twirl and ended the whole dance with a dip.

“You realize that we won’t be able to come out of this place without being hounded with questions or with women making an attempt at my life?”

The song was done but the musicians kept playing another unknown melody to avoid uncomfortable silences in the room. Reborn went to get his jacket which he had left by the piano.

“They wouldn’t dare.” A flash of disdain coursed through his eyes not even bothering to look at the women below, the fedora obscuring half his face.

“Oh, they look very ready to rip a piece out of me.” Iolanthe nonchalantly looked down not caring about those glaring eyes. She was amazed those women had the freedom to covet a man when in company of another one. Their mistake was, they were coveting her man. Mischief alighted in her eyes and she almost threw herself to Reborn while saying with a sultry and somewhat loud voice. “I enjoyed myself so much, my love! Say, why don’t we enjoy each other t.o.n.i.g.h.t. Hm?” Her hum was quite-but-not-likely a moan laced with anticipation, desire and promise of what would come.

Reborn froze for a second seeing her doe-like brilliant eyes angled just right that made her look coy but naughty, the small smile that somehow made her cheeks puff giving her an even adorable aspect yet her hand was not innocent at all, fleetingly caressing his chest to end up hooking his neck as if she would kiss him at any moment. For that second, he couldn’t believe she was acting like that in front of so many people but her actions made something click in his mind and decided to follow her act.

“Alright, I want to taste your body the whole night.” He replied while slowly closing in on her. The women below where in an outrage and the men just looked as if they were seeing a good show, though before any could say anything to the both of them, they suddenly disappeared leaving a dumbfounded room.

The couple calmly entered their room; they had successfully made it out of there thanks to Reborn’s speed and Iolanthe’s nifty Magic Confounding the crowd for a split second. It would have been faster through Apparition but Iolanthe didn’t want to risk it with her condition. She heavily sat on the nearest couch loudly exhaling as if she had done the running. Reborn looked at her antics and walked towards her to undo her hairdo while massaging her head.

“Hmm, that’s good, you are almost forgiven for seducing women in front of me.”

Reborn brow twitched. “I didn’t seduce anybody.” He explained.

“Yes, you did. Dozens of women looking at you as if you were the last man on Earth.” She retorted not giving an inch, no matter how amazing the massage was. “Daddy is a troublemaker, isn’t he, my baby?” She patted her flat abdomen as if the tiny little being inside could hear her.

An inexplicable feeling filled Reborn hearing her say ‘Daddy’ and not in a naughty way but from the fact that he was going to actually be a Dad. It was a bit of fright, pride, uncertainty but most than anything -and shockingly- he was looking forward to it. So, he didn’t have any qualms in also talking to the barely 2-day-old little being forming inside her. “Tell her that Daddy is not at fault, I only want Mommy.”

Iolanthe laughed not expecting him to say that so she continued with the game. “Oh? What are you saying, baby? We should punish, Daddy?”

Done with taking out the countless pins from Iolanthe’s hair, he walked in front of her to take off her shoes and also massage her feet. “No punishment for Daddy, he is innocent.” He followed up.

“Baby has talked. No naughty love for Daddy tonight.” She sentenced.

Reborn wanted to facepalm; all his effort giving her a massage were for naught when he didn’t get what he was looking for. Well, he couldn’t really complain; Iolanthe did look tired from the day starting with the cruise, the fight with the receptionist, the swimming, their short session in the afternoon and even the dancing in those heels she was not used to. He could only acquiesce to her wishes though she still accepted sharing a relaxing bath together.

Iolanthe wanted to have a nice rest that night so she even locked the door from their room and hung up the ‘Do not disturb’ sign in the door. Clad in only a T-shirt and panties, she climbed to the bed where her Husband was already waiting for her and she shamelessly laid on top of him, using his body as her bed. Reborn chuckled and only accommodated to comfortably sleep too.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reborn accepting parenthood is damn cute. It is obvious he will react differently to the baby actually growing inside Iolanthe. But fret not that he is still a daughter fool for Farid. 
> 
> In the next chapter: Iolanthe meets two Arcobalenos.


	32. Lost line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe meets Colonnello and Skull as well as her long lost relative.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ THE NOTES AT THE END!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter of today! :D

* * *

 

The sun shone brightly on the couple. The woman groaned feeling the rays of light on her face and with a wave of her hand, she closed the curtains she thought she had closed the previous night to avoid that problem. She shrugged that off and went back to sleep, clinging to the body below hers. The man didn’t so much as move not wanting to bother her but he was already wide awake, not because of the light that entered the room just a moment ago but because someone had entered from that closed window.

The intruder was a tall, blonde-haired, blue eyed man wearing green army camouflage clothing and bandana, black army boots and had a rifle hanging from his back. The man was looking at Reborn with defiance on his face, disregarding the fact the latter was lying in bed with a woman and looked mighty unhappy at that. Reborn looked down at the sleeping Iolanthe and carefully transferred her to the bed. The two men tacitly walked out of the room, Reborn closing the door behind him, and headed towards the small living room forgetting all about their rivalry.

Reborn sat on one of the armchairs letting Leon bring the coffee set to make a cup and not caring a bit he was only wearing his boxers.

“Did you know there are five women rotting at the door of your room?” The blonde man didn’t even let Reborn settle before making his inquiry.

Reborn paused. “That must be Iolanthe’s doing.” He replied 100% sure. “But how’s that my problem, Colonnello? That’s why there’s people working here, to take out the trash.”

The man identified as Colonnello stayed silent, after all Reborn was correct. It wouldn’t be the first time the workers at the hotel had to dispose of a body or two. Though, the scene outside was a bit too gruesome and the stench too horrible that there were a lot of complaints. Not to mention the other bodies found in the back side of the hotel. Colonnello guessed those women were also trying to enter that room and he knew why. Reborn had always been very popular so it wasn’t surprising that after appearing with his original looks in Mafia Land, there would instantly be hounds behind him.

Colonnello just never expected that the woman he heard was Reborn’s new catch would be this extreme in how she dealt with those women. He had even experienced it firsthand too when he came into the room from the window. He had been trapped in some sort of illusion for a moment and his first thought was to come out of it; his surprise came when his insides had started to churn and hurt all the while not being able to break out of the illusion. In his moment of panic, his Flames exploded allowing him to come back to reality.

He was sure that was not a Mist’s work, he was also certain those women experimented the same before dying. He instantly classified the woman who looked so peaceful on that bed and was able to come up with such a sadistic protective barrier as dangerous.

Either way, he wanted to leave the room as soon as possible; there would be other opportunities to annoy Reborn after all. “How long will this last?” Colonnello asked.

Reborn sipped his cup of coffee deliberating if he should tell Colonnello. But coming in through the window and seeing Iolanthe’s sleeping face, Colonnello didn’t deserve that information. “You went to see Lal?” Reborn asked instead.

“She didn’t want to see me. But don’t change the subject, kora!” Colonnello yelled jumping to his feet.

Reborn’s face darkened at his yelling and instantly turned to look at the door leading to the bedroom and waited to see if Colonnello’s yell had woken Iolanthe up. In a bad mood, Reborn didn’t want to answer Colonnello anymore. “What makes you think I know?”

Colonnello clenched his teeth. He really didn’t want to say it, even if it killed him, he didn’t want to accept it but he needed answers. “You always know everything.” It was true, though. Reborn was best at what he did; he knew what to do and he always seemed to know what is going on. That’s why, Colonnello’s first person to go to for information -even back then- was Reborn.

Reborn smirked knowing how it pained Colonnello to say that and wanted to keep annoying him. Yet before he could say anything, Iolanthe’s Magic washed over him and the whole room. Colonnello tensed when he felt as if someone was watching him but only a sleepy voice came out. “Who are you with, Husband?”

“Just an acquaintance.” Replied Reborn.

“… Oh.” The two men thought Iolanthe had gone back to sleep but she continued after a pause. “Tell your acquaintance to come back later. Baby has decided to lift your punishment.” Meaning, Iolanthe woke up wanting to have fun.

Colonnello didn’t have the time to react to the woman’s words when Reborn was already in front of him. Last thing he heard before he was thrown out of the room by the window was, “Three more days, Colonnello.” Luckily, the hotel wasn’t too tall and he was only thrown out from the fifth floor.

“Horny bastard.” Colonnello grumbled after easily landing on his feet and understanding what just happened. At least he got what he wanted. On his way to the back of the island, where he had his own hut he lived in, he thought about going back to see Lal since it seemed he only had three more days like that and wanted to know if Lal was the same. Going on a date didn’t sound so bad, he thought with a smirk but then his smirk and his body froze.

“No way, kora!” He exclaimed.

Only then he noticed the way that woman had addressed Reborn: Husband. And Reborn hadn’t reacted to it, so that meant he was her Husband! Because Reborn could be many things to his lovers yet never ‘Husband’. Colonnello didn’t know how he got back to his hut, but as soon as he was inside he felt the need to go back and ruin Reborn’s moment with his… Wife. Though seconds later he desisted of that idea; he still wanted to live, after all. Then, that only left sharing the news. And in this place, there was only one other Arcobaleno he could share these news with.

If he couldn’t annoyed Reborn, then there was someone even more annoying for this task.

…

 

Reborn was so happy and refreshed after his morning exercise that he agreed to look around the island with Iolanthe. However, that looking around turned out to be checking out the amusement park. As someone who had never ever stepped into an amusement park, Iolanthe was very excited and didn’t want to miss anything. That said, she forced Reborn to try each and every game in the park with her; including those booth games.

“Are you sure you want to compete with me?” Reborn asked checking the toy gun in his hand and then at Iolanthe who was doing the same. He was relieved that this booth game was rather normal in what Iolanthe wanted to try. Even if he could endure it, he was starting to get sick of all those spinning, dropping and swinging games. Iolanthe still looked fresh as a lettuce, a bit rosy in the cheeks from laughing so much but not tired from trying all those games.

“Of course. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to.” She said, done with her inspection.

“You are going against the Best Hitman, Iolanthe.” Reborn kindly reminded her not trying to brag.

“Then you will win easily,” Iolanthe returned with a smile. “You can get anything if you win.”

In Reborn’s mind, the memory of her on her knees flashed for a second and he vowed he needed to win this. “Deal.” He finally said, his voice a bit rough.

By the time they were done sealing their bet, a crowd had already gathered; after all, there was no Mafioso alive that didn’t know about the Greatest Hitman, Reborn. But more than that, they were curious about the woman accompanying him and who had made a bet with Reborn in a shooting game. They thought she was mad to go against Reborn, especially when she adopted a weird pose of extending the arm which gripped the gun, her other arm slightly raised, her legs separated and minutely bent, with her body turned to one side.

The pose let Reborn know that Iolanthe was taking this seriously. She always had that pose when they dueled with each other back in the Black Ancestral Home. Then, he better up his game. After giving a glance to the man in charge of the booth, he got ready. The game soon started and everyone waited with baited breath to see what would happen.

_Bang!_

The sudden noise startled a few of the Mafiosi around. They hadn’t even been able to see the target when both Reborn and Iolanthe had already taken it down. Many thought it was luck from her part but soon they found themselves gaping. The targets fell one after the other at the same time and at the moment they appeared not even letting it show half of its shape. Luckily, the game was one made for Mafiosi so it was not that easy to win even if you were an expert shooter.

The game got faster, with some targets even randomly jumping up for half a second and others going from one side to the other really fast. Yet even those weren’t safe against the two. With the game almost over, the special targets began to appear, they were either really small or really slim and really fast. Most Mafiosi witnessing such amazing shooting performance weren’t even able to see those targets and could only hear the bullets hitting them.

Finally, the game was over and everybody almost broke their necks with how fast they looked up to the scores. A perfect 5000 for Reborn and… 4950 for Iolanthe. The Mafiosi felt it was a shame but they were still excited for being able to see such an amazing feat.

“You cheated.” Reborn called out looking at Iolanthe with desire in his eyes. Just the fact that she was able to keep up -even if she used Magic to fire the bullets- excited him greatly, cheat or not. But they had made a bet so…

“Pot calling the kettle black.” Iolanthe hmphed. She saw when he made Leon transform into another gun and fired with two guns.

“You still lost.” He smirked, not denying or confirming the claim.

“Yes, I lost,” she agreed but then mischievously smiled at him knowing very well what he would ask. “That’s why baby is punishing you again, because you didn’t let Mommy win.”

“Ok, ok, ok, you won. Just tell baby not to punish Daddy.” Throwing away his smirk, he pleaded grabbing her shoulders.

Iolanthe laughed seeing his miserable face. It was obvious he wanted to make the best of the week and live between her legs. Not that she minded because she enjoyed it too but she wanted to make more memories of having fun with him far away from the bed -or anywhere they decided to be naughty in. She wouldn’t make him suffer though -the day before was an exception because she was truly too tired-, so she got on her tiptoes and whispered something in his ear. He froze and looked incredulous at her.

He looked down, past the sleeveless, halter neck blouse and down to the loose black pants she was wearing. He took a fortifying breath and then nonchalantly took her hand to get away from the booth, even forgetting about his prize. The crowd looked at the leaving couple rather confused, not knowing what had happened after hearing their conversation. They just shrugged and dispersed.

Reborn’s mind was still a bit tumultuous and he lead Iolanthe to the only place where he could confirm if what she said was true. The Merry-Go-Round. As soon as the thing started moving, he didn’t even let Iolanthe get comfortable when he pulled her to his lap and quickly put his hand inside her pants making her yelp.

“Oh, Giotto above, you really are not wearing underwear.” He breathlessly said, leaning his head on her shoulder.

“You didn’t believe me?” Iolanthe asked after calming down, even ignoring the naughty hand inside her pants.

“It’s not that I didn’t believe you, it’s just… that’s one amazing teaser.” He smiled deviously. He accepted, and proudly, that he was weak against his Wife’s teasing and he would willingly fall for each and every one of her moves.

“I… wait, wait!” She didn’t even noticed when his hand went from the back to the front of her pants. “Someone will see us, Renato.”

“Put up some Ward so they don’t.” He dismissively said already making work on her neck and let’s not talk about that hand inside her pants.

“This…” Iolanthe wanted to reason with Reborn but seeing he was far gone in his desire, she gave up and put up a Ward preventing anyone to see what was happening inside.

The ride only lasted around ten minutes so they had to be quick. Perhaps it was the excitement of doing it somewhere public but their session was very explosive and satisfying even though it was fast. When they got down, they looked pretty normal, as if nothing had happened. Well, Iolanthe was still red in the face, Reborn sported a wide grin and both were still a bit breathless but they could pretend nothing had happened.

They continued looking around, trying this or that booth game, collecting all kind of prizes, most plush toys they would give Farid. Neither really realized their outing was actually a date.

As they were waiting for their turn in the rollercoaster, there were suddenly explosions around. Without even blinking, Reborn easily positioned himself behind Iolanthe to cover her. He didn’t doubt that she could take care of herself but she was pregnant so he had to take extra precautions. People around them started screaming and fleeing for their lives as if they weren’t Mafiosi used to be under attack. Really disgraceful, Reborn thought.

“Aren’t we taking cover like them?” Iolanthe asked turning around to look at him.

“There is only one person who attacks this place like a fool, so there’s nothing to worry about.” Reborn dismissed. “Should we go look for something to eat, instead? I don’t think they will make the rollercoaster work.”

“Oh,” Iolanthe looked around the nearest food booths. There was no one manning them but there was already some food prepared and ready to take. “I always wanted to try that back when I was in Japan.” She said pointing to a booth.

Reborn took a look at the place she chose and laughed. Then he swooped down and gave Iolanthe a breathtaking kiss. “You are the best.” He told her while leading her to the booth. “Hm, there are a few packs here… let me see if there is sake. You can’t try this without sake.” He said, looking around the booth.

“I can’t drink, Renato.” Iolanthe reminded him.

Reborn paused. “Oh yeah. Then you will just take an aftertaste from my lips.” He shamelessly decided after he luckily found a small bottle making Iolanthe blush an endearing shade of pink and coyly smile at him. All in all, they truly forgot the island was under attack.

 

…

 

A man wearing a purple leather suit and a white motorcycle helmet strut around the place with his subordinates battling against the Mafiosi that rose to arms to prevent the Carcassa Famiglia to take possession of Mafia Land. At first the man in the leather suit thought Colonnello was just luring him to a trap, but he had been attacking the place for half an hour and Colonnello hadn’t done anything to stop him. That gave the man a bit of hope. He didn’t care about this Mafia Land place, he just wanted to see for himself if the news he was passed on were true. 

That’s why as soon as he saw that the battle was leaning towards the Carcassa Famiglia, he separated from the others and started looking around for his target. What he didn’t account for was that the place was too big and he had no idea where to look so he had no choice but to aimlessly walk around the place. Fifteen minutes later, he still hadn’t found his target and his hope to find him were becoming zero.

“Damn you, Reborn, you really are good at running away.” He clicked his tongue and took off his helmet showing a young man wearing make up and a teardrop tattoo under his eye.

“You are just too useless, lackey.” A voice sounded from the side.

“Waah! Se-senior!” The young man startled and turned to look at the person sitting at a food booth calmly eating and drinking. “Don’t call me lackey!” The young man exploded but then paused noticing what Reborn was eating. “Are you eating takoyaki?!”

Reborn smirked. “What say you, Skull? We should eat that octopus pet you have, there is sake here.” He even lifted the bottle of half-drunk sake.

“We are not eating it! I came here for you!” The young man, Skull, said haughtily.

“Oh.” Reborn clearly lost interest.

“He came here after Colonnello told him to look for you.” A woman suddenly said. Skull startled for a second time since he hadn’t noticed her.

Reborn sneered at Skull. “And then you say you are not someone else’s lackey.” Then he turned at Iolanthe. “Is there a way to bring Colonnello here, Iolanthe?”

“Hm, I can use the Summoning Charm on an object he always has on him, that might bring him. The problem is he might get hurt on the trip.” She said.

“Use it. Colonnello can handle it.”

“Accio Colonnello’s rifle.” Skull saw her taking out a stick and swished it in the air. But then his eyes glimpsed at something in her hand and he froze.

A couple of seconds later, they could hear someone screaming. Soon, a figure could be seen hurtling through air; luckily, even if the person was screaming bloody murder, there wasn’t once that the person bumped into stuff. Even if they were on the way. The landing was done almost perfectly, a few stumbling steps shown but all in all the person was alright. The hair and clothes didn’t share the same fate as they were disheveled but it seemed the person didn’t mind and with just a glance around he identified the people around.

“Reborn!” The person yelled.

“How was the trip, Colonnello?” Reborn asked with a clear expression of schadenfreude.

That only infuriated Colonnello even more knowing very well he was there because of Reborn. He quickly took out his rifle yet before he could do anything, he was shot in the chest and toppled backwards. Silence ensued while Colonnello laid immobile on the floor.

“Is he dead?” The only woman in the group asked.

“I wish.” Lamented Reborn with a sigh.

“I’m not dead, kora!” Colonnello yelled jumping to his feet. Insensible people, he thought. “Then what did you dragged me here for? More like, how did you do that, kora?!”

“You called this young man to attack the island.” Iolanthe replied pointing to the leather-suited Skull who was behaving a bit strangely. As soon as everybody had his eyes on him, they noticed that he was rigidly standing there intensely looking at Iolanthe. Colonnello looked between Skull and Iolanthe while Reborn furrowed his brow, not liking one bit what was happening.

However, before he could do anything, Skull blurted out: “ _Ismerlek!_ ”

Iolanthe blinked not understanding what he said so she turned to Reborn with a legit confused face. “He said he knows you.” Reborn somberly told her. “Explain, Skull.”

Skull came back to himself after feeling the thick killing intent coming from his Senior and realized his words might have been misunderstood. If what Colonnello told him about the couple in front of him was true, then he might die if he didn’t explain. “Eh, ah, yes, yes… it’s… it’s this!” Skull stumbled in his words not knowing what to say so he decided the fastest way was to show them. He forcefully rubbed his cheek where the teardrop was, instantly making it turn red but the other three could see that below that tattoo, there was another one.

Not even a second after he revealed his other tattoo, he had a wand pointed at him. “You think this is funny? You think that just because you have the symbol of the Deathly Hallows tattooed on your face it makes you a Peverell? For all I know, you must be a sympathizer of the Dark Lord Gellert Grindelwald.” Iolanthe said in a low, dangerous voice.

Throughout the years, there had been many instances -though rare and really far between- where Wizards and Witches found relatives even if many times removed when their Magic interacted. It was the same principle Iolanthe and Draco investigated with the Bloodline experiments. No matter how diluted the blood, it was still there and it was with those experiments that they discovered, funnily, that basically the whole British Wizarding Community is related one way or another. Talking about keeping it between family, they thought.

With her Magic threateningly flaring around her, it even dauntingly went to mess with the young man before her. And it was at that moment, that she discovered something she never thought would happen with a Flame User.

“It’s because of that lunatic that I had to cover it! I truly am a Pev-hmphg.” Iolanthe’s hand stamped on his mouth successfully silencing him.

“Don’t say another word. That… Family matters aren’t discussed with outsiders.” She said glancing at Colonnello who looked somewhat affronted. “Back to our room, Husband. Follow us, Skull.” Iolanthe ordered turning around herself and walking away.

Reborn threw a scathing glare towards Skull and followed Iolanthe, Skull walking behind them like a puppy. Colonnello stupidly stood where he was left failing to understand what just happened. One moment Skull was being threatened, the next they were talking about Family.

“Why did you even bring me here for, kora!?” He yelled at their backs but none of the three answered him. However, if he knew that Reborn asked Iolanthe to bring him there just to mess with him, then he would faint from rage. Either way, Colonnello just went to vent his frustration on Skull’s subordinates.

 

…

 

Ozias Peverell.

In the annals of history the name was unknown. Not even having the Peverell surname helped the name to be remembered. It was a bit obvious when all the fame of the Peverell name came from the three brothers Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus thanks to their encounter with Death and the bestowal of three powerful artifacts. So, Ozias Peverell, was forgotten by even the closest friends of the Peverell Family.

But to know where this Ozias came from, one needed to go back one generation. To Errington and Maida Peverell. Errington Peverell was given the title of Duke Peverell by the then King due to his outstanding service to the country. That was back in the time when Wizards and Witches were still unknown to the Muggles and no hunting had started. So, new with his title and castle provided by the King, Errington soon got married and had three kids. Three sons. Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus.

Maida Peverell was Errington Peverell’s sister.

Because of her Brother’s powerful title she became a true Prima Donna, especially boastful and hatefully snobbish. The other high-society women could barely stay in the same room with her for ten minutes before excusing themselves saying they were not feeling well. The only good grace Maida Peverell had was her pretty face. So, many whispered that if she could just sit there and not open her mouth then she would be more pleasant. Unfortunately, that couldn’t happen. Still, everybody recognized that Maida Peverell was a beauty and it was that beauty that brought her calamity when one man audaciously entered her room and raped her.

Since that day nobody was able to see Maida Peverell anymore and nobody knew what actually happened since Errington did his utmost best to cover the news and not let any word come out. With that, all the servants in the castle also mysteriously disappeared and new ones began to work there. Errington’s Wife had to take care of the raving mad Maida from hurting herself due to what happened. As someone who thought herself above others, she couldn’t conceive such thing happened to her and thinking herself filthy and gross, she didn’t want to live anymore.

What drove her mad really was the fact that she ended up pregnant from the assault and more than once she wanted to get rid of the evil spawn. Errington wasn’t able to see his sister like that and he reluctantly kept her under high doses of Calming Draught. Maida spent her whole pregnancy in bed until a boy, Ozias, was born. Errington and his Wife thought that with the joy of being a Mother, Maida would go back to normal and decided to stop giving her the Calming Draught. However, the moment she came back to herself and saw the baby, she instantly took her life leaving the boy an orphan.

Ozias grew up together with his three cousins who were older than him. As a kid, he liked spending time with them and his Uncle and Aunt even if things got awkward every time he asked about his Father and Mother. When Ozias was a teenager, Errington and his Wife died from illness, and his cousins, together, took the mantle of the Family. However, because there wasn’t that oppression from the original Duke Peverell anymore, the servants started to talk. One day, Ozias heard some of them talking about his Mother and what she did after he was born.

At first, he couldn’t believe it but after confronting his oldest cousin about the matter and knowing it was true, he almost went mad himself. He disappeared for a couple of years only to return as if nothing happened. The three brothers were relieved that Ozias had returned and a few days later, they themselves made a trip. It was in that trip that they got the three objects from Death. Thinking that Ozias was the same as always, they told him about their task. Yet Ozias was not the same after his trip.

He became a bitter, full of jealousy and resentful young man. And seeing his older cousins being all important figures while he was just an unwanted orphan, he started to distance himself from his cousins, deciding to be someone important too and one day surpass his cousins to show them who was better.

Sacrificial Magic, Soul Magic, Blood Magic and Dark Magic formed part of the five Forbidden Magics in Britain but Ozias Peverell alone, created the fifth Forbidden Magic. The Art to manipulate others’ Magic. It had to be said that a Wizard’s Magic was practically their life, if there was someone who could manipulate it, then it was the same as robbing them of that life. His experiments halted when he couldn’t find a Wizard to practice on and the servants in the castle were all Muggles who had no idea Magicals were living among them. That was until years later he caught a rumor from the servants.

Cadmus and Ignotus had already married and had their kids but Antioch never married, claiming he had to take care of his Family. But that rumor said he had an affair with a woman from another city ending up pregnant and that she had arrived at their city to look for him. Ozias saw his opportunity to get a Wizard in his hands and intercepted the woman from meeting his oldest cousin claiming Antioch was too busy to meet her but that as soon as he done with his affairs then he would meet her.

The woman naturally believed him and waited for that day Antioch would see her. While waiting, Ozias brought her news of what Antioch was doing and all the problems he had to face as Head of Family and of course as Duke Peverell. It had to be said that Ozias had become a smooth talker and had enchanted the woman to really look forward to meeting Antioch and present him with their child. Even if at the beginning she didn’t want to have it and was only looking for the man to take care of her as her parents had practically thrown her out of the House for committing adultery.

Months passed and the woman finally gave birth to a boy. Ozias, anticipating that day, hurriedly made his way towards the place she was staying at finding the woman laying on bed really tired but still happily carrying a baby in her arms. The midwife had already left leaving mother and son alone, so Ozias didn’t waste any time and killed the woman, taking away the baby declaring him his own son. But what he did to his ‘son’ had no forgiveness. Ozias believed that those artifacts his cousins got gave them not only a task but the opportunity to be immortals, to have power over Death and he wanted to prove that even without those artifacts, he could be an immortal too.

For years, Ozias syphoned the little boy’s Magic for his use. In his deluded mind, he thought that having someone else’s Magic made him more powerful and that that power made him an immortal. He was wrong. Having someone else’s Magic in one’s body brought repercussions; one’s own Magic sees that foreign Magic as invasive and does its best to push it out. Furthermore, the foreign Magic couldn’t be used no matter how much he tried since at the end it was not his Magic.

So, for years, the only thing Ozias did with the boy was take his Magic away, take his life away. At the end, when the boy was twelve, all his Magic was gone. Ozias, having someone else’s Magic in his body died because his body couldn’t afford possessing two different Magic signatures in him; meanwhile, the boy surprisingly survived. All those rituals he was subjected to, all those times his Magic was syphoned coming out from every pore of his body helped him acquired what Ozias always wanted. 

An immortal body.

“Alright, I’m going to stop you right here.” Reborn interrupted Iolanthe’s story rubbing his eyebrows. “Are you going to tell me next that the lackey is a descendant of that boy?”

“That’s correct.” Iolanthe nodded after sipping a bit of her tea. Her throat was a bit parched from all that speaking. “Ozias Peverell kept a journal of what he did all those years. That bit of the immortal body was added by that boy when he discovered what had become of him. That also means he read everything Ozias had done, what he did to his Mother and what he did to him. The boy looked for his Father only to discover he was dead, along with his uncle Cadmus and only Ignotus remained. The mighty Peverell line was reduced to Cadmus’ child, Ignotus Family and that boy which had no Magic. So, the only thing the boy did was give the journal to Ignotus and leave.”

“I can’t believe this.” Reborn breathed. “You are related to the lackey. I’m related to lackey by being married to you.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Iolanthe asked him, furrowing her brows.

Reborn could feel the displeasure rolling off her body and he instantly tried to appease her. “Of course not, Iolanthe. I was just amazed at discovering your Family is so extensive.”

“Hmph, well said.” Iolanthe haughtily lifted her nose in her direction making Reborn smirk at her antics. “So, Skull, descendant of Antioch Peverell… oh, where are my manners? My name is Iolanthe Potter, descendant of Ignotus Peverell and you must already know my Husband, Reborn.” Iolanthe said smiling at a Skull who was ready to faint.

“Tehát igaz. Reborn házas.” He whispered.

“What language is that, anyway?” Seeing that the poor young man was in shock, Iolanthe took the chance to ask Reborn.

“That’s Hungarian. It seems the only reason the lackey came here is to confirm what Colonnello told him; which was about our Marriage.” Reborn answered grabbing her hand and gently kneading it to earn some points for what he said just a moment ago and made Iolanthe angry.

“Oh.” Iolanthe looked back at the dazed Skull and thought this guy had no mental fortitude, easily getting surprised by just a Marriage so she sent a Stinging Hex his way.

What Iolanthe really failed to realize was that to everybody in the Mafia World and more so to his fellow Arcobaleno, the fact that Reborn had married was unconceivable. Reborn was to the Mafia World what Iolanthe was to the Wizarding World; not a hero but someone with power. That’s why many Famiglias tried to rope him in to boast they had the strongest Arcobaleno. Just like what the Wizarding Families wanted to do with Iolanthe and sending all those Marriage proposals; to boast they had the Savior in their Family.

The Arcobalenos just never thought Reborn would settle down with a woman and marry. In their minds, it was easier to see Verde or Viper marrying instead of Reborn. So, finding out about Reborn’s marriage could send the Arcobalenos’ mind spinning and pondering if everything was real or if the world was coming to an end.

“Ouch! What did you do that for?!” Skull complained while rubbing his cheek from the Stinging Hex.

“He truly has an immortal body. Or at least very resistant. The Stinging Hex should have left your face swollen.” Iolanthe mused after her little experiment. She knew the effects of the Hex thanks to Hermione so she was surprised seeing Skull not having any reaction to it except rubbing his face.

Hearing that, Skull felt a bit of his ego swelling and he laughed raucously. “Of course! The Great Skull can’t die because Death itself doesn’t want me!” He bragged only to be silence by the sudden aura that fell on him. It was familiar but really powerful.

“Death doesn’t want you? Should we prove that?” Iolanthe mischievously smiled. If Skull hadn’t been there, Reborn would have already been on Iolanthe sharing what he thought at seeing her being so mighty and wanting to cause Chaos; it was breathtaking and such a turn on that he had to cross his legs to hide his reaction. As soon as the lackey leaves… Reborn started thinking what he would do with Iolanthe the moment they were alone.

Skull was almost on the floor due to the aura pressing on him. He looked up at Iolanthe who was staring at him with a small smile on her face. A thought crossed his mind seeing her like that: She could really kill him. The thought made him panic and his Flames erupted from his body, easily dispelling the pressure he was subjected to. Well, what he didn’t know was that he himself was leaking the same aura as Iolanthe. The aura that came from being from the same bloodline. That same aura Reborn felt was cold, unforgiving and so powerful. Reborn thought it was something from Skull but just then he realized it was because he was a Peverell. A line that served Death.

“You know where it is!” Iolanthe suddenly exclaimed, jumping to her feet and forgetting all about her aura.

Skull almost toppled when Iolanthe’s pressure disappeared. “I know what?” He asked confused.

“The castle! The Peverell castle! You know where it is!” Iolanthe explained very excited. She wanted to go look for it as her next project that year but Reborn came, they got married and she got involved in the Arcobaleno Curse so she had forgotten about it yet the young man in front of her saved her from all the hassle of going around like a blind cat looking for that castle.

“Ah, yeah. For some reason, my Family was proud of knowing some old castle, I just didn’t know why.” Skull sheepishly replied and seeing Iolanthe’s anticipating expression made him think of a way to repay her for putting him in a pinch. “What makes you-GAH!”

“Just spit out the information.” Reborn ordered, clearly knowing what Skull was about to do. Reborn knew what a petty man Skull was, that’s why the young man earned a kick from Reborn. Well, the main reason for his impatience was because he wanted the lackey to leave soon to finally be alone with his Wife.

“Senior…” Skull pitifully voiced but all he received was a scathing glare from Reborn. “It’s in Hajmáskér, Hungary.” Skull finally said a bit defeated.

Iolanthe instantly turned to look at Reborn with sparkling eyes and the latter inwardly sighed, knowing very well what she wanted. The plan was to take Iolanthe to Italy to meet with the Ottava and Nono that day but it seemed they were going to make a detour and arrive a day later. “We will wait for tomorrow when the island sails by Greece.” Reborn relented making Iolanthe beam at him, softening his expression to one of indulgence. She approached him and whispered something to his ear to then walk to the room.

For the second time that day, someone was thrown out the window from that room. Skull was not as lucky as Colonnello and pitifully landed on the ground. Skull had no idea what just happened; he was just kicked by his Senior all of a sudden. He really wanted to go back up there but he received a message from his subordinates saying they were retreating because Colonnello had beaten them. Skull clicked his tongue annoyed and had no other choice but to leave the island.

Up in the room, Reborn and Iolanthe didn’t leave the bed for the rest of the afternoon, asking for room service when it was time to eat dinner and then continued with their activities well into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right! So, it's nothing bad, actually, no worries about the fic being dropped or anything. I just want to make a couple of announcements.
> 
> First, I apologize for not posting the second chapter of the week. The reason was very simple: I had no internet Q.Q. So I spent a couple of days offline; that gave me time bc I couldn't read other stuff and check the games I'm playing xD
> 
> And that takes us to the second and main announcement. Since I had time, I wrote a chapter each for my other fics and I will be posting them throughout the week according to the kudos they have. So, you will receive a chapter from each fic in the Rainbow series, today we begin with this one. Tomorrow is a different one and so on. 
> 
> I will shamelessly do this bc this week I am babysitting my nephew and won't have much time to do anything xD
> 
> Any questions, comments, complaint, doubts? 
> 
> PS. Do you remember when I said on the first chapters that there was a Flame User with ties with the Wizarding World? Congrats if you guessed it was Skull.


	33. Vongola and Varia shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn and Iolanthe go see the Peverell Castle.
> 
> A stressful meeting with the couple according to Nono.
> 
> And... whose lands were those, again? The Varia asked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You will notice that these following chapters will be very long. Well, I am going by theme with these chapters to accelerate the time for the manga timeline to appear. 
> 
> By the way, I will only work with the manga since I haven't watched the anime. So please keep that in mind and don't expect for things to develope like the anime or for any events from the anime to appear. (I will write this from time to time in the following chapters until we reach that timeline so you remember it)
> 
> Enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading :D

“It’s a bit run down, the rooms are falling apart and the courtyard’s vegetation has grown too much. We also have to check if the foundation is still solid.” Reborn mused looking around one of the rooms in the old Peverell castle. 

He had expected a huge castle with turrets, bridges, great Halls and immense stairs with really old tapestries hanging from ceiling to floor; instead, he got a relatively small castle that had served as barracks for the Soviet Union during World War II. Apparently, the Wards had somehow disappeared and everybody in Hajmáskér could see it. Still, even if it was more of a mansion-castle, it was impressive; if he disregarded the rooms that were falling apart and the graffiti in some walls. The plumbing was horrible, the paint was falling off the walls… It was truly a derelict castle. 

Turning around, he noticed Iolanthe wasn’t following him anymore and he had no choice but to look for her. With his speed, it wasn’t that hard to find her which he did a couple of minutes later. She was at the top of the central tower that overlooked the whole place, standing by the window intently staring at something outside. Reborn followed her gaze and discovered she was looking at a couple of kids that were running around the courtyard, disregarding the overgrown vegetation and seemed to be playing. 

“It has been without an owner for so long that others can freely enter the place. I don’t think even the mayor of this town knows to whom this castle belongs and has just left it like this.” Reborn explained. 

From the vantage point, he could see the whole building. It was a four-story, square-like castle with a huge courtyard in the middle. The tiled roof had many parts missing and most of the windows were broken. Considering the rooms in the front part were falling to pieces, he had no hope that the rest of the place was any better. Further away, he could also see an eerie copse of trees as the ‘backyard’ and that just made him think of the fortune Iolanthe would have to spend to fix the whole place. 

Doing some calculations in his mind, he thought that maybe it was time for him to start shouldering some responsibilities too and take out the money to fix that place. No matter if he ended up as poor as a rat and depending on his Wife in the future, he was willing to do it.

“I can see it, Renato.” She suddenly said clearly not having heard what he had just commented. “Kids running around, learning, having a home.” Her tone of voice turned full of conviction.

Reborn startled. “What are you thinking?” He asked making a wild guess at her thoughts and somehow fearing the answer.

“Mitty!” She called not answering him. A pop later, the oldest female House-elf that was in charge of organizing the other House-elves appeared.

“Yes, Mistress?” Mitty inquired with a low, shy voice. It was the first time, she had been called by her Mistress after they started working for her and the scary Master so she was a bit nervous. Mitty had experienced the cruelty of her past Masters when she did something wrong so she wanted to be better for her new ones. 

“How is the work at the Italian House?” Iolanthe asked with a smile making Mitty relax a bit. After all, no bad Master would smile at a House-elf, right?

“Cleanings and gardenings bes over, Mistress. We bes working in another House already.” Mitty dutifully reported.

“Oh, so fast. Good job!” Iolanthe praised, after all, she was sure that House was really big with an equally big garden according to Narcissa, cleaning it, furnishing it and taking care of the garden must have been difficult even for the troop of House-elves but it seemed she had underestimated them. Mitty looked ready to cry of happiness due to her praising, so Iolanthe quickly voiced her thoughts. “We will arrive at the Italian House in the afternoon, so assign anyone to give us a tour of the place, please. Also, you have a new task. After you are done with the House you are working on, come here to this one. For now, just clean it and get rid of the excess plants. Do it at night because it seems kids play here in the day. As soon as the cleaning is over let me know, ok?” 

“We does as Mistress commands!” Mitty replied and disappeared with another pop to relay the new orders to her fellow House-elves. 

“What are you planning to do with this place?” Reborn asked again gathering his Wife in his arms. 

Iolanthe got comfortable in the embrace and arranged her thoughts. “A school, Renato.” 

“A school?” He asked incredulous.

“Yes, a school and home for children with any kind of Magick.” Iolanthe explained. “I don’t want to make it like Hogwarts but something of a school that prepares them for actual school. Many kids don’t have the chance to know that they have Magic and flounder a lot the moment they enter any Magical school, so I want to fix that.”

“Won’t that mean that it will be focused for those Magical children?” Reborn knew that the actual word for what Iolanthe wanted to make of this place is an orphanage. Because you can’t actually give a home to those who already have it. The fact that she also wanted to make it a school was a plus. He reckoned that if there was a place for him back when he was a kid just like what Iolanthe had in mind then perhaps he wouldn’t have become a Hitman. There were many kids out there who needed a home or a place to call home. 

“Anyone. There are different types of Magicks out there, Renato. Magic and Flames are just two in the pond. Besides, I want to introduce those kids to all the different kind of Magicks.” Iolanthe’s vision was obviously grander than just having a simple school/orphanage.

“For the Peverell task?” Reborn guessed which earned him a peck from Iolanthe. 

“You truly know what I’m thinking. You are the best. I love you!” She gushed, beaming at him. 

“I am the best, yet I still feel I don’t even reach your toes with how amazing you are.” He shamelessly complimented her. 

“Such smooth words that come out from your mouth, Mr. Sinclair.” Iolanthe purred, very delighted at his words. She had learned since the day he recovered his body that her Husband could really chat up a woman, giving this or that compliment many times making her shy or extremely happy at hearing them. She had gotten used to it but she never got less happy hearing him. 

“You know my mouth can do better, Mrs. Sinclair.” Reborn suggestively replied. 

Iolanthe laughed knowing very well she was blushing. “Your mouth, your fingers, your hips.” Not wanting to be outdone, she even squeezed that butt of his. It was smaller than hers but not less perky, it was nice to pinch and rub. Still, Iolanthe’s favorite was taking out those feelings Reborn vehemently denied having. No matter how much he wanted to deny it but Iolanthe had it in good faith that her Husband was a jealous man. He claimed he was too good to be jealous of others but he still somehow got jealous. “You are the best man I have ever been with.” 

Iolanthe paid attention to his expression and wasn’t disappointed when she noticed his brown minutely lifted, his eyes squinted and his nostrils flared. “Who else you have been with, Iolanthe?” Iolanthe knew that Reborn was extremely possessive and it made her relieved knowing she was not the only one somewhat obsessed with her partner and that he felt the same towards her in one way or another. Maybe it was too weird in other people’s eyes but she actually enjoyed seeing him like this. It gave her the confidence that he was truly interested in her. It was a bit lame, she knew, but she still like riling him up. 

“Hm? Some classmate of mine when I was at Hogwarts and hormones were flying around. We kissed a lot in hidden corners and even broom closets.” Right, well, she lied with that last bit. They only kissed once and it wasn’t that good compared to her Husband but she just wanted to manipulate him a bit to get what she wanted.

“Oh, you did, didn’t you?” Iolanthe had no time to say anything when Reborn was already on her, pressing her against the wall, easily leaving her breathless with his lips and tongue’s sensual moves. Infuriatingly, his hands didn’t roam around her body just how she liked it when they were in a heavy petting session; they stayed still, teasing her even more. From her part, she wanted more contact with him and she constantly tried to rub her body against his but his hands successfully stopped her advances. “Say, what do you want, Iolanthe?” His rough voice asked by her ear.

“You, I want you.” Iolanthe thoughtlessly replied far gone into her lust.

“Wrong. Tell me again, what do you want?” He teasingly asked again, sporadically nipping her neck and jaw, fleetingly kissing her lips and enjoying very much her flushed face. He knew what she was trying to do and he also was willing to fall into her honey-trap but it was much better if both fell at the same time.

“You, I only want you, I only need you, please.” She pleaded. She didn’t know what she was pleading for but it was never a wrong move with Reborn who was extremely pleased with her words and continued moving his expert mouth. His hands finally moved and he let Iolanthe cling to him while she rubbed her body against his. Minutes later, both were heavily panting and leaning on each other. It wasn’t the first time they make out after riling themselves up with their words but it seemed each session got better each time that it was a shame their week was coming to an end. 

After several Scourgify, the two made their way out and got into the car they had rented for easy travelling. Iolanthe had no idea Reborn could drive to which he answered he actually couldn’t. But well, his driving and her broom flying weren’t that different so she had no problems with it; the other drivers and the rare pedestrian thought otherwise and there were many close calls for accidents that it was really a miracle they hadn’t been arrested. They safely -relatively- made their way to the airport where they would take a plane to Italy. 

They could have travelled by Portkey yet Iolanthe’s condition didn’t allow them and she also expressed her curiosity of wanting to fly by plane. 

Two hours later, they had arrived at Catania-Fontanarossa Airport in Sicilia where there were some people surprisingly -or not so much- waiting for them. As it was noon, they were taken to some fancy restaurant. Luckily, when travelling, Iolanthe always used proper clothes of a lady and donned a light blue, embroidered A-line dress with a V neck and half sleeves. She looked very elegant yet her hair with a flowery headband gave her a more casual look despite the formal dress. The reason for the headband was because the elaborate braid she had in the morning became a mess thanks to their heavy petting, so she picked up her braid in a messy bun and the headband made its way to her hair. 

She was still a head turner as soon as she entered the restaurant, no matter how obvious the hand perched on her waist from her Husband was. The maître d’ led them to the private room reserved for the Vongola Famiglia and left without entering. Reborn just knocked twice and then opened the door, not caring if the people inside were ready or not. Though, it looked like they had been expecting them for quite some time. It wasn’t only the Ottava and her Guardian present, there was also Nono and his Guardians, Massimo and his Guardians, and Federico and his Guardians. It was a bit crowded but there were two seats near Nono that were reserved for Reborn and Iolanthe.

Reborn had no qualms in walking towards his seat, his hand never once leaving Iolanthe’s waist so she had no choice but to walk beside him. Her Husband was gentlemanly enough to help her with her chair before sitting himself. All those actions performed under the eyes of the group of Mafiosi but it seemed as if the couple didn’t care that there were people watching and acted the part of the Marriage in a honeymoon they actually were. 

“Well, well, who’s this beauty?” Federico Vongola, Timoteo’s youngest son, asked eyeing Iolanthe from head to top. An awkward silence descended on the room. Everybody knew who the lady was; the fact that she had come in together with Reborn was obvious enough, plus the huge ring sitting in her left ring finger was another dead give away for those who were observant enough. 

Everybody turned to Iolanthe wondering how she would respond to Federico’s words but they were mildly surprised when she just sat there with a polite smile. Reborn, beside her, just swirled the wine that had already been served waiting for anyone to realize what was going on. Or he just wanted to embarrass the Vongola a bit; he was always up for the Chaos. Federico coughed embarrassed to being ignored and just gulped his wine. His Guardians gave the evil eye at Iolanthe but she still kept that polite smile on her face. 

Another more pointed cough resounded in the room and everybody turned to look at Vongola Nono to know what he would say. “You must be Iolanthe Potter, Reborn has told us a bit about you and we were anticipating your arrival.” He said with an amiable smile but he still got the same polite smile from Iolanthe. Another awkward silence was born in the room which was broken by a hand banging the table. 

“Hmph, such a haughty attitude.” An old man reprimanded her. Daniela couldn’t hold it any longer and laughed out loud at the situation. “Ottava, with all due respect, this is no laughing matter.” The old man said. There was someone making fun of Nono in front of everybody, they couldn’t handle that.

“Oh, forgive this old woman for laughing at your stupidity, Coyote.” Daniela said with mirth in her voice. “This is not a common woman picked up from the streets but a Lady; she has a title, and if I am not mistaken she won’t speak with anybody until her Husband presents the person.” The old woman looked at Iolanthe for confirmation and the elegant dip of Iolanthe’s head was all the confirmation she needed. Everybody else thought it was ridiculous. They had entered the 21st century and this woman still used ancient rules from the Victorian era. 

“But then, what happens if the Husband is not around?” Massimo voiced very confused of the situation. This time, everybody looked at Reborn for answers.

“Oh, in that case you will have to present yourselves and then wait if she wants to talk to you. She has the highest rank here with being Duchess Peverell, after all.” Reborn replied enjoying the awkward atmosphere. 

“But Nono is the one with the highest authority here.” Coyote said with a furrowed brow. Mafiosi were stickers to the saying ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans’ so they couldn’t conceive an outsider to not follow a simple rule like that.

“Not in her book. Unless some King, Queen, Prince or Princess is in front of her, she will always be the one with the highest rank.” Reborn dismissively replied. “Right, I guess presentations are in order. Here in the head seat is the current Head of the Vongola Famiglia, Timoteo Vongola, next to him is his Mother and former Head, the Ottava, Daniela Vongola. Those all unimportant men around the both of them are their Guardians. In front of us we have Massimo and Federico Vongola, Timoteo’s sons. Same, the ones around them are their Guardians. Everybody, this is Iolanthe Jamie Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black and Duchess of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell, my Wife.”

Everybody’s eyes twitched at such long titles this petite woman possessed. Twice Lady and Duchess. It was no wonder she had to stick to ancient rules, even her Houses had Ancient and Noble in their names.

“It’s very nice to meet you all.” Iolanthe finally spoke with a low and polite voice. The food they had ordered arrived seconds later so neither was able to keep interrogating Iolanthe. 

Still, there was always Daniela who didn’t care much about etiquette and started a conversation with her. “I heard you went to Mafia Land, how was it, you had fun?” The old lady shamelessly asked as if she hadn’t watched live the moment her and Reborn had stepped into the island. 

“It was very fun. The service was lacking but the events were very entertaining.” Iolanthe replied.

Everybody paused, confused at her words. “She means when Skull tried to invade the island…” Reborn replied then hesitated for a second and smirked. “Though she might also mean the eight corpses she left from all those women.” 

Several pair of eyes looked at the delicate woman who was daintily eating her pasta. “That wouldn’t have happened if they didn’t want to put their sticky hands on what wasn’t theirs. Their greed was what killed them.” Iolanthe said dismissively. Deep down, she sometimes felt bad for those women but knowing they coveted her Husband made her pity disappear like smoke. 

“Why, Iolanthe, were you jealous?” Reborn once again forgot about their audience and started teasing her. 

Iolanthe smiled at him but didn’t answer and she just addressed Nono. “Your sons are very handsome, Mr. Vongola. I can also see they are very skillful.” She said to then smile at the two men in front of her.

Federico perked up at her attention and wanted to say something in return but a stomp from his brother Massimo made him wince and turn furiously at him. Massimo not so subtly gestured his brother to pay attention to the man beside Iolanthe. Federico stupidly looked at Reborn only to pale in fright at the frigid glare they were being subjected to. Daniela looked at the exchange very delighted as if she was watching a show. The way the couple teased at each other and even included others in their banter was pure genius and she thought it was premeditated just to mess around with people.

She inwardly sighed and felt happy seeing them together like that. Her son, though, couldn’t appreciate the couple’s humor and coughed to dispel the awkwardness in the table. “It seems the skillful one is you, Lady Potter.” Nono said trying to direct the conversation to what he wanted to know.

“Just Iolanthe is fine. I don’t really stick to those ancient rules. It’s just that Draco somehow knows when I haven’t followed them and that just mean I have to go under his tender care for a lessons of Traditions again.” Iolanthe said casually waving her hand. That made everybody in the room twitch their brows. Her words meant that she could have actually skip all that presentation bullshit and she only followed it to play them and to avoid etiquette lessons. The only ones who saw the humor in all that was Reborn and Daniela who were trying their mighty best to not laugh. 

“Alright, Iolanthe.” Nono acquiesced trying to continue with the conversation yet not extending the same courtesy of her calling him by his name. No matter how amiable Nono wanted to be, he also had his limit. “Reborn has mentioned you are a very powerful… Witch.” That was a lie. He had made an extensive investigation on Iolanthe and he discovered the young lady was considered the most powerful Witch in her generation, not only for vanquishing the Dark Lord wrecking havoc in their Community but also because of her vast Magic. Nono only brought up Reborn’s name to make her believe that Reborn trusted them with her information so she could also trust them.

Of course, Iolanthe was not so gullible to believe it was her Husband who had talked to them about her but she still played to his tune because she was not one for word games and because these clever Mafiosi would overthink her words making up random conclusions. “Almost brought down the house when I dueled with my Husband and moped the floor with Dino.” She said with a smile. 

Nono narrowed his eyes at the implication of her words. Even he wasn’t sure he could fight Reborn to a standstill and he had heard Dino Cavallone was a very capable Sky; there were rumors that the youngster was even better than Don Cavallone, the previous Head. So it meant that if she ever wanted to fight the Vongola, she could easily wipe them all. A very dangerous lady. He didn’t feel comfortable with having such a woman around them and not knowing her loyalties. 

Though there was still someone who wanted to add wood to the fire and make things more complicated, just for the fun of it. “I still remember you blasted me out of the House with no chance to retaliate.” Reborn breezily commented alarming the Mafiosi around. If even Reborn couldn’t retaliate, then she was more powerful than him. Trepidation crept in their hearts.

“That was because you were being mean to me.” Iolanthe replied with a pout.

“Caring for your health is not being mean, Iolanthe.” Reborn said with a serious look.

“Yes, you are right.” She relented grabbing his hand and squeezing it. “Sorry about that, by the way.”

“Oh, don’t apologize. I enjoyed seeing you chase after me around the city.” Reborn smirked.

Iolanthe narrowed her eyes. “You did, didn’t you? Baby has decided you were being mean so you are being punished again.” She retorted triumphantly.

Instantly, her hand was being lovingly kissed. “I was just kidding. It was me who was inconsiderate and made you look for me when I could have returned to the House earlier.” 

“That’s right. Baby has forgiven you.” Iolanthe haughtily said.

Daniela couldn’t hold it any longer and laughed out loud at the scene developing in front of her. “You are such a whipped Husband, Reborn.” She viciously remarked. “You are good, dear. Reborn always needed someone to have a leash on him.” She then addressed Iolanthe with a huge grin on her face earning an equally huge grin from the young woman. 

Nono, meanwhile, felt his forehead pulse with a headache. At that rate, he was never going to get the information he wanted. Luckily, Iolanthe took pity of the old man and explained what he wanted to know. It was so much she could do after gleaning his despairing thoughts so many times. “Don’t worry, Mr. Vongola. I have no interest in the Mafia World except for what my Husband deems appropriate to tell me, so you won’t have to toss and turn on your bed thinking I will one day rule over it. I only want to do that with the British Wizarding Community for being useless.”

That did put Nono’s worries to rest -even if her words were not to his liking- and could finally enjoy his lunch only hearing his Mother’s conversation with Iolanthe.

“I read you fought in a war; terrible thing that when you were so young. Are you alright after all that ordeal?” Daniela was no stranger to being in war when she lived through World War II while being Head of the Vongola Famiglia. It was tiring and it made her very paranoid. 

“I still have nightmares. But that’s normal considering I could enter the mind of a murderer while being hunted to then being tortured and hearing my friends being tortured.” Iolanthe recounted with a low voice. “It was worse after war was over. I could see the dead faces of my friends, many times recriminating me that I should be dead together with them. I always felt guilty.” Iolanthe was mildly aware she was being subjected to the Harmony aspect of Sky Flames from Daniela Vongola but she didn’t resist it. The Vongola had gone through all trouble just to meet her and get information out of her. She was happy if it only happened once; she didn’t want to be bothered by them in the future.

Reborn said nothing. He knew what the Vongola were doing yet it rested on Iolanthe if she followed their game. He also had heard about what Iolanthe could see in her nightmares before; he had comforted her several times after she woke up from them. 

“Were you afraid of them?” Daniela softly asked. She had been the same; she was afraid of facing all those people she knew and were dead in her dreams.

Iolanthe chuckled at the old woman’s question. “That’s the same as saying I am afraid of Death. Why should I? After all, death is but the next great adventure.” She smiled. 

Her answer stunned all the Vongola. They could see that she was telling the truth; she wasn’t afraid of the dead, of death and more importantly of dying. A tiny bit of respect nestled in their hearts and finally left the rather unfortunate woman alone, not asking her more questions about herself. Soon, their lunch was over and Nono together with his sons and their respective Guardians left the restaurant, leaving only the old Ottava with the couple. 

The women had expressed their desire to stay for tea and gossip that the men ran away from the room. Reborn couldn’t leave the room because of his Wife and those who could do so regarded him with pity.

“Now that the slow-witted men have left… oh, Reborn is still here.” Daniela said with glee in her voice. Reborn wryly smiled at Daniela’s words. It was obvious he couldn’t leave. “No matter.” Daniela dismissed with a wave of her hand. “Now, spill the beans.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Reborn feigned ignorance and avoided her eyes. 

Daniela mischievously smiled and turned to Iolanthe. “Tell your baby that Reborn is being mean to old ladies and needs to be punished.” Reborn’s reaction was pure gold when he looked affronted and aggrieved at Daniela. The old lady was having a field day seeing the rather new expressions on the Hitman’s face and it was all thanks to the young lady beside him. 

“Why do you ask if you already know?” Reborn disgruntledly asked.

“She was confirming, Husband.” Iolanthe interjected patting his shoulder. “You should have just continued feigning ignorance.” She then suggested.

Reborn sighed. “I know, but being punished by baby is the worst that can happen to me.” He salaciously smiled making Iolanthe laugh helplessly. The tea they ordered finally arrived and everybody in the room started preparing their cup. For a moment, only the clinking of the cutlery against the china could be heard. Iolanthe was never one to slowly enjoy her tea but she rather liked the taste of the one they had ordered and took note of the name to buy it in the future. 

Reborn just got into tea because Iolanthe liked to drink it. It was nice in the afternoon together with some pastries and the warm feeling of the sun on his skin when they drank it in the Sunroom; yet in the morning, he always drank his cup of coffee because he needed the bitter taste to wake himself up. He was really lucky his toddler body could handle the strong beverage. Daniela simply drank tea because at her old age, she couldn’t drink anything stronger. She vowed to herself the day she died, she would drink a whole bottle of good wine to leave the world happy. 

After the customary first round of tea and then preparing the second one, the conversations started to spring up. 

“I trust you brought what I asked for.” Iolanthe, as always, opened the conversation.

Daniela nodded and gesture for her Guardian to take out what they brought. It was secretly done without her son knowing she had it in her hands but she was unrepentant. “The original copy which has my signature instead of the one that has Timoteo’s.”

“Will it still be valid?” Iolanthe asked covetously eyeing what was in the Guardian’s hands.

“It will. Anything changed in the original will render the other copies useless.” Daniela explained to then nod at her Guardian to allow Iolanthe take a look. 

Iolanthe started to read as soon as the document was in her hands and she couldn’t help frown her brows at what was in it. After a moment, she re-read it and started giving comments about what she thought. “Goodness gracious, a lifetime service! You basically got a slave, not a Hitman. Compensation for a failed mission?! The pay is not even good and they are even asking for compensation in case of failure. No vacation, no insurance, doesn’t even mention anything in case of illness.” She grumbled. At the end, she slapped the document on the table and accusingly looked at Reborn. “What on Earth made you sign this contract, Renato?!”

Reborn sighed knowing very well Iolanthe would be extremely upset the moment she read the contract he signed with the Vongola so many years ago, just before Daniela was about to step down from the Head position. “Desperation, Iolanthe.” He bitterly replied. He had hit a new low after the Arcobaleno Curse and just the fact someone had offered him work made grateful and didn’t even care about the harsh conditions of the contract. 

Reborn’s answer softened Iolanthe but she still stood firm. “You are not desperate now, so I will fix this contract for you.” He didn’t know if he should believe her words or not but he just sat back and let her do whatever she wanted. “Mitty!” She called out.

The telltale pop of a House-elf rang in the room. “What cans Mitty be doing for Mistress?” The female House-elf was elated because she was constantly being called to serve her Mistress. 

“Go to the Potter’s Ancestral Home and bring me the Potter portfolio that is in the Master Bedroom’s shelf, please.” Iolanthe’s voice while commanding was very pleasant and Mitty eagerly nodded before popping out and coming back just a minute later with said portfolio. The House-elf even went beyond and brought parchment, ink and a quill. “Good job, Mitty!” Iolanthe beamed at her and the poor House-elf almost went into hysterics yet before she could do so, Iolanthe softly told her to go back to what she was doing. 

“You have an interesting helper.” Daniela managed to voice. It was her first time seeing such a… unique… creature; she had to stop her Guardian and even herself from attacking it when the thing suddenly appeared. 

“Thanks. They do their jobs splendidly no matter what you ask.” Iolanthe absentmindedly said while leafing through the documents in the portfolio. “Found it! I told you to take a look at these documents, why haven’t you done so?” She cheered to then scold her Husband again.

“I remember our relationship was a bit shaky at that time and I didn’t have the courage to ask you for those documents.” Reborn confessed. He had performed his disappearance act so he thought Iolanthe had retracted her words about him managing the Houses. He knew she was sincere when she asked him to help her yet he felt it wasn’t appropriate of him to do it. 

“As soon as we get back home, I will sit you in front of the three portfolios and you won’t stand up until you have them all memorized!” Iolanthe was being shameless because not even herself knew all those documents by heart. “Now, this,” she said tapping the document she took out. “This document tells your responsibilities as Lord Potter; what it is expected from you, what you have to do and what you cannot do. It also gives you the chance to change any form of contract you are under to facilitate your duties as a Lord. I understand your contract is more of an oath but you are now a Lord and a commoner’s contract would never hinder you. No offense, there.” Iolanthe explained and properly apologized to Daniela.

“It’s ok.” The old woman dismissed. She recognized the contract was rather harsh and she had made it as a joke back then -a tasteless joke. She just never thought the Hitman would sign his name on it thus making the contract take place. They never mistreated him but she was fine if the contract changed to something more suitable. “And then, what are you going to change in it?” 

The question triggered a lengthy conversation between Iolanthe and Reborn, with the helpful comments of Daniela in the middle. The pot of tea was drunk and another one was brought and they still kept on deciding what would be changed in the contract. 

In the end, they only modified the most important points in the contract; the most unfair ones. For example, he would continue to offer his services to the Vongola until he decided not to do it any longer. The pay was the same yet the compensation penalty changed to him not being paid in case he failed in his missions. It was fairer and still abided to Mafia rules. He didn’t get an insurance because honestly in that line of work, what insurance they could talk about? However, he would be able to properly rest in case of illness and would have a week free of work each month. 

That last one came up from the fact that he could be sent to another country for missions and not being able to spend time with his Family and by consequence not doing his duty as Lord Potter. So, having seven days consecutive of free days would facilitate the accomplishment of his ‘duties’; he could even decide which seven days of the month he could use as his free days. All in all, Iolanthe was happy with the new contract and they all felt it would not cause Nono to have an aneurysm at it being changed. It was once again signed by the involved people with the difference that Reborn had to place the Potter symbol in it so it showed that he truly was what he claimed to be: a Lord

In a good mood, Iolanthe expressed her desire to go to the Italian House to have a look at it. Reborn wasn’t fooled by that excuse because her hand was dangerously close his most sensitive part, torturously teasing him while he tried his best not to react to that hand. He thought it funny that at the beginning of the week, he was the one impatient to go at it yet at the end it was Iolanthe who constantly searched for him. He never complained and was always happy to give her what she wanted so he also agreed with her suggestion to leave.

Done with everything they had to do, they all left the room to go back to their respective Houses. Daniela constantly inviting Iolanthe to have tea with her. Iolanthe relented and agreed to have breakfast with her the following day since the couple had to return to Britain for Farid. 

“Breakfast tomorrow, don’t forget.” Daniela happily reminded Iolanthe from the car she was leaving in. The car drove and disappeared at a turn.

Iolanthe sighed thinking she was too good of a person for accepting the invitation. The plan was to return that day to Britain because they wanted to be there when Farid returned from her trip, but it seemed they had to delay their return by one day. “Then, how are we going to the Black House?” There were no cars waiting for them and she concluded that Nono was petty enough not to assign one for them due to everything she had done to him.

“We can rent another car.” Reborn shrugged not caring about Timoteo’s attitude. 

“Might as well do that… oh.” Iolanthe agreed but before they could walk away, a car with the Vongola signet parked in front of them. “It seemed Nono wasn’t that petty, after all.” She commented.

“Maybe.” Reborn replied eyeing the car with suspicion. He decided to let the matter run its course; his week with Iolanthe had been amazing but as a Hitman, he wanted to pack the week with a punch. Iolanthe should be fine, he mused while helping her into the car, it is whoever arranged for this that worries me. Just like how he thought, the moment he closed the door in Iolanthe’s side, the car suddenly started to drive leaving him behind. “Hm, I just hope they don’t make her that angry.” Reborn said already noticing the numerous shrimps he had to take care of. His smirk became more pronounced and he whipped out his gun. “Come Leon, what’s vacation without a dead body or two?”

In the car, Iolanthe was placidly sitting inside. She admitted she panicked at first but when she turned to look back at her Husband and seeing his smirk, for some reason that made all her panicked thoughts leave and she just stayed put. That made the driver, the person in the co-pilot seat and the one hidden in the back seat sighed relieved. They were expecting a gruesome fight on the way but their target was sitting there as if she hadn’t being kidnapped. Well, they also decided to stay put but vigilant after their try to drug her unconscious. 

“How dare you try to touch a married woman?!” They were scolded and their companion was viciously thrown out of the car in motion so they didn’t make a move on her again. 

Their mission wasn’t that difficult, they just had to transport the woman -preferably unconscious. They were doing exactly that so it didn’t matter in what state she was in. The car soon arrived at its destination. The moment Iolanthe stepped out of the car, her brows knitted but then relaxed at the sight of the impressive castle-like building in front of her.

“VOIII!!! I told you to bring her unconscious! Now she knows where we are!” A loud voice sounded and with it a young man with long silver hair and a sword as hand walked towards them. 

“Ushishishi, this trash will soon be taken out.” A pre-teen followed behind the loud young man.

“What are you doing here, shitty prince?” Squalo said with clear despise. They had agreed that it was going to be him who would take the woman inside. Well, he had demanded to take that task and none of the others had time to say a word before he was already walking out the room. 

“This Prince does whatever he wants. Besides, you are too common to receive royalty.” Belphegor’s grin widened when he mocked Squalo.

A verbal spat and a fight between the two ensued. A cloaked figure quietly made its way out and sighed at the scene in front of them. Then, they surreptuosly moved towards Iolanthe and said. “Follow me.”

Iolanthe had no idea what she was doing there so she had no other choice but to follow the cloaked person. The outside of the castle was a bit dreary but the inside was pretty elegant and well illuminated. She walked through many meandering hallways she didn’t bother to memorize until they arrived at a fancy room with a big table inside. There was a person, a man, already seated at the table with part of his hair dyed green, wearing sunglasses and looking very fashionable. He seemed to have been waiting for them as he jumped to his feet when the door was opened.

“Huh? Where’s Squalo and Bel?” He asked.

“Those useless guys are fighting by the front door.” The cloaked person replied with a mighty scowl on their face. 

It seemed that fights were very common between them because the flamboyant man just sighed and dropped the subject to then ask Iolanthe. “Do you want tea, juice, coffee, a drink?”

“Uh, juice should be fine.” Iolanthe was surprised by the attention.

“Wait a min, then, dear,” The flamboyant man smiled and then went out to fetch their drinks.

“Please sit.” The cloaked person gestured towards a chair while they sat too. Iolanthe uncaringly chose a seat and marveled inwardly at how comfortable it was. “Sorry for the way you were brought here but we needed you for some information.” 

“Don’t start your interrogation without the drinks.” The flamboyant man admonished when he returned. “The others finished the other flavors so we are just left with lemonade, is that ok for you?”

“It’s fine. The weather is a bit hot in Italy so I am a bit thirsty.” Iolanthe reached for a glass and readily started gulping her drink.

“Thanks, Lussuria.” The cloaked person said with their usual scowl while sipping at their drink too. Lussuria grabbed his own drink and sat beside the cloaked person. “So, as I was saying…”

The cloaked person’s words were interrupted by the raucous mess outside the room and in came the two guys they had left by the front door. They were both sporting their fair share of wounds and tears in their clothes earning the admonishing of Lussuria for the way they treated the clothes he so painstakingly chose for them. The cloaked person’s scowl became more pronounced yet before they could voice their displeasure, red sparks appeared out of nowhere successfully halting the argument between the three.

“Alright, guys. Sit down and be silent, we are trying to have a conversation here.” Iolanthe said with a smile. 

“What-” Squalo wanted to protest at being ordered but he swallowed his words when an oppressive aura fell on the room.

“I said sit.” Iolanthe repeated making the three instantly sit down. “Now, you were saying you needed information.” She then turned to the cloaked person. 

“Ah, yeah, I want to know what you did to make the Arcobalenos return to their original form.” The cloaked person inquired a bit subdued because of the aura she had released. 

“Why do you think it is me who did anything?” Iolanthe composedly replied and sipped her juice.

“Mammon has a way to find anyone they want to look for but after many tries, they could only come up with this symbol.” Lussuria explained taking out the paper with the Deathly Hallows symbol on it. “It’s the same symbol you have in your ring.”

Iolanthe glanced at the ring that sat on her right thumb and the stone that had the very inconspicuous mark of the Deathly Hallows. She marveled at their eyesight that were able to discern the symbol. She didn’t want to know when they took note of her ring because it was clear as water they weren’t after it. Instead they only wanted to know about her way to mess with the Arcobaleno Curse. Seeing the four acting well-behaved, she inwardly nodded and then put her purse on the table to rummage through it.

The four in front of her looked with incredulous expressions at Iolanthe who had to insert her whole arm into the small purse all the while grumbling at Reborn for putting all sort of things in it because he was too lazy to carry them himself. After all her rummaging, she finally took out a black journal she flipped through until she stopped almost at the middle of it. “This is what I used to give my Husband a week with his normal body. I just never thought it would also affect the other Arcobalenos. Skull and Colonnello are the same.”

The four craned their necks to check out what Iolanthe had used to make the Arcobalenos return to their original form but three out of the four ended up with confused faces. The fourth one, Mammon, slowly lifted their head and sheepishly asked. “This… what is this?”

With a look of exasperation, Iolanthe went through a lengthy explanation on the ritual her and her friends had created leaving four shocked Flame Users at the complexity of the process and burdensome result. Never mind the Runes and Glyphs that were unknown to them; the sole fact it was based on Magic rendered the whole thing useless for them. And let’s not talk about the “Sacrifice?” 

“Yes, I had to sacrifice part of my Magic just so the Ward could take place.” Iolanthe nodded, answering the inquiry. “It was a bit of a drastic measure but we were pressed on time and my knowledge of Flames was rather limited. I am planning to create another way to make the Arcobalenos return to their original form even if they still have to carry the burden of being chosen as Arcobalenos.” 

Her words made Mammon perk up and wanted to ask about what she actually knew of the Arcobaleno Curse they had investigated about but unfortunately were unable to get much information of. However, the moment they opened their mouth was just to close it with a click when they felt the muzzle of a gun behind their head. 

“I thought you were dead, Viper. But who would have thought you just joined a group of kidnappers?”

“How did you get in here, VOI!?” Exclaimed Squalo quickly standing up only to receive a bullet in his shoulder which sent him stumbling backwards. 

“No matter how handsome you look inflicting terror to others, Husband mine. There is no need to get violent with them.” Iolanthe commented with a silly grin on her face. That ruined the tense atmosphere and badass image created by Reborn but he didn’t care one bit. As long as he knew Iolanthe was fine, then it didn’t matter if he was even mocked by her in front of others. And if the hungry eyes were any clue, then he had earned a lot of points for their next session which he hoped to be soon. More like, he would make it be soon.

“Are you done here? Can we go to the House now?” Reborn eagerly asked. 

“I think we are done…” Iolanthe trailed not sure if Mammon needed more information from her though it seemed having a gun pointing at their head made all the desire to keep interrogating her vanish and they hurriedly nodded to say they were done. Mammon sighed relieved when the gun left their head; he could fight with any other Arcobaleno but Reborn. Many times they thought they wouldn’t know how they died if they ever fought with him.

“Do… do you want us to take you to your House?” Mammon suddenly asked. They were never going to pay for the information provided but they could offer another way to pay. They were also grateful to Iolanthe for easily answering their questions. 

“That won’t be necessary.” Iolanthe politely declined their offer. “We only have to cross this dreary forest and we will get there.” She pointed out to the back forest of Varia Headquarters that could be seen from the window in the room. 

“What?!” Squalo loudly asked from where he was laying while being tended by Lussuria. 

Iolanthe’s smile turned mischievous. “You built your castle in Black lands; meaning, you are living in lands that belong to the Black Family which I am Lady of.” She explained lifting her right hand to show the Black Family ring. 

“The lands Phineas Nigellus Black bought to Belvina Black?” Reborn asked mirroring his Wife’s smile. 

“The same.” Iolanthe confirmed beaming at Reborn. 

“Well, then, we will expect the payment for using these lands or you will be kicked out.” Reborn smirked at the four Varia Officers to then leave with Iolanthe, his hand perched on her waist. The four Varia Officers stayed rooted in their places barely registering what had just happened. 

“I thought these were Vongola lands, VOI!!!” Squalo exploded first. 

“It seems they aren’t.” Lussuria wryly retorted after dressing Squalo’s wound. 

“Shishishi, in the end you truly are commoners.” Belphegor commented as if the matter didn’t involve him.

“You are living here too, shitty Prince! If we don’t pay rent, then we are all going to end up like street rats and the Vongola won’t be able to do anything.” Squalo reminded him successfully stopping Belphegor’s laugh. After all, no Prince would end up homeless. The three instantly turned to look at Mammon who was the one in charge of the finances in Headquarters. Honestly, they were skeptical of Iolanthe’s words so they believed they actually didn’t need to pay any rent or whatnot but Mammon’s words dashed their hopes.

“Muu, and just when I thought we would never be able to meet our real landlords.” Mammon deflated at the thought they would have to pay. Their words left the others dumbfounded until they reacted realizing Mammon knew all along they were not living in Vongola lands. “Anyway, it’s best if you begin taking out the money because I won’t put a single cent paying the rent.” Mammon said, easily extricating themselves from the matter which only infuriated their fellow Officers more.

“Why don’t we make that idiot Levi pay it?” Belphegor suddenly suggested. In an instant, everybody washed their hands from the paying issue and left Levi A Than, the Lightning Officer of the Varia, to shoulder the debt. Needless to be said, Levi loudly protested when he knew about the matter as soon as he returned from his mission but he was utterly ignored by the other Officers claiming they had discussed the matter extensively and that they would be counting on Levi for the task of paying rent. 

Their words were said in such a way that Levi felt the complete dependence of the others and proudly announced that he would take care of it just so he could inflate his feelings of superiority failing to notice he was being deceived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you were expecting some face-slapping from Iolanthe towards Nono, sorry to disappoint. 
> 
> Well, it just so happened that Iolanthe is still a bit reticent with the Mafia World and doesn't want to do anything with it. Going so far as to offend Timoteo Vongola would go against her wishes of not wanting to be involved with them. 
> 
> Even so, she will find herself giving a hand if her Husband asked. And that's what Daniela sees in her, contrary to Timoteo; Iolanthe is not interested in the Mafia World. We have seen her enthusiasm with learning about Flames but that's only because she considers them a type of Magick and the one her Husband possess. As for the society that Magick thrives in... She is only happy with the information Reborn tells her because he also knows her standpoint. 
> 
> Next chapter: An insight on why Reborn can't say I love you to Iolanthe.


	34. Black House in Italy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn and Iolanthe enter the Black House in Italy and fluster little Toty.
> 
> They also find the place where Phineas lived.
> 
> Reborn reflects on his behavior and on Iolanthe's reactions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO!
> 
> This chapter was supposed to be veeeeery long but I regretted it and decided to cut it short. Why? Because I think we needed this self-reflection from our dear Reborn. 
> 
> He has been good to Iolanthe. He has taken Farid in as his own. He likes daughters very much but we have never heard (read) him say the three magic words. Perhaps what you find here won't actually justify why he hasn't done so but I am trying to make their relationship as realistic as possible. Meaning, IT IS NOT PERFECT. 
> 
> Believe me, Reborn may look mature, cool and all that but he is not. At least not in my eyes. With his unknown past, we can speculate a lot. I just hope you find what I wrote reasonable. After all, children are easy to traumatize and adults don't like to accept they have a problem or want to solve it. Most of them, many of them. Don't go bashing me xD I'm not a psychologist... 
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!

* * *

 

Iolanthe wasn’t joking when she said they just needed to cross the dreary forest to arrive to the Black House. The walk was a bit long but they instantly knew they had arrived when the landscape did a one-eighty; from dreary and gloomy to colorful and full of light. The contrast was really sharp and both had to rub their eyes just to confirm they were not imagining the place. 

It was still a forest yet the difference was in the type of trees planted. The ones from the lands where the Varia Headquarters was were bushy and leafy with thick trunks and roots that peeked through the soil. There were also shrubs, many wild plants and weeds growing in it. On the other side, the lands where the Black House was had thinner trees with thinner branches that were not that leafy allowing a lot of light to filter through them and illuminate the many flowering bushes and flower beds planted alongside a clear stream that meandered through the forest. The grass was also very green and well cut showing the great care the House-elves had put in the garden. 

Since it was the back of the immense garden, there was no path near where they were so they just decided to follow along the stream and see where it would take them. A couple of minutes into their pleasant walk among flowers and the sound of the water running, a House-elf suddenly appeared in front of them.

“Master and Mistress have arrived. Toty bes thinking they would appear at the front door. It was Toty’s mistake.” The poor young House-elf looked on the verge of crying because he had failed his duty and left his Masters alone for so long. As a young elf, it was his first time serving a Family and even if Mitty had told them their Masters were good, he was still very nervous and it showed by him wringing his long, bat-like ears.

“It’s alright Toty. We have enjoyed the fabulous work you have done to the garden.” Iolanthe said with a smile making Toty stop his nervous movements and look at her in amazement. 

“Toty bes flattered.” The House-elf suddenly blurted out to then duck his head in embarrassment at his mistake. 

“Is there a main path, Toty?” Reborn asked saving Toty from his embarrassment. 

“Yes! If we continues walking straight ahead, we bes finding the main path!” Toty excitedly informed and the three walked in the direction Toty pointed at. On the way, Iolanthe and Reborn were subjected to Toty’s animated explanation of what was planted and where betraying the fact that Toty was a Gardener House-elf. With Toty’s words, the couple realized that the garden was truly too huge that maybe it would require them a whole day to explore it all. Thankfully they just wanted to get to the House to spend the rest of the day in. 

Finally finding the main path, the cobblestone main pathway, their trip through the gardens was easier yet not less impressive. There were countless arbors, pergolas and arches on the main path consisting of different flowers giving it a secretive and beautiful touch. There were even some benches under some wide pergolas. What was more impressive was the Wisteria tunnel built on the short bridge that cut across the wider part of the stream. The lilac, white and pink colors of the wisterias beautifully reflected the sun shining upon them making them look as if they were lights in the dim tunnel.

Just being able to look at such an amazing view made Iolanthe appreciate her Husband decision’s more since it was him who said to the House-elves to begin their work with the Italian House. She knew he didn’t know the place was like this but this serendipitous decision was the best he had made and she rewarded him with an effusive kiss under the wisterias. Toty turned around flustered at seeing his Masters showing some love in public. Toty would be the first but not the last of the House-elves who would catch the couple like that. 

After their impromptu and much needed make out session, the couple plus Toty continued on their way until they arrived at an intersection of paths which lead to different parts of the garden but they just continued ahead towards the wider path with well-trimmed shrubs and a whole roses tunnel for it to end in stairs made of brick that connected to the House’s backyard that sported a natural looking pool, as if it was a pond in the middle of a forest with the small waterfall and big stones around it. There was a wooden gazebo on the side with a set of outdoor furniture under it. The rest of the backyard was grass and some random trees.

Past the backyard stood a two-story yet wide mansion with plenty arch top French doors that opened to different rooms, like studios, living rooms, a dining room and even the kitchen. The house was a bit weird because walking past any of those rooms, they found themselves in the foyer. As wide as the House was, that’s how wide the foyer was. One would think that it was a bad design of the House but the reason for the wide foyer was actually the ceiling painted with Italian Renaissance Art all over. The light in all the rooms was thanks to the wall lamps placed everywhere; there wasn’t any chandelier in the whole House, which they confirmed after they went up the semi spiral stairs.

Up in the second floor they found the library, a bar, a Family room with its hearth, and a room with a piano that consisted of the rooms in the middle part of the second floor. The bedrooms with their respective bathroom and walk-in closet where located in opposite directions of the House; five in each side with a terrace connecting them. There was no Master Bedroom but the sheer quantity of bedrooms was enough to house a family of ten or even more. From the terraces, they could see that there were isolated gardens that could be accessed through selected rooms.

And if they were not mistaken the garden with a small fountain was next to the biggest study and the other garden was connected to the kitchen; the latter looking more like an herb garden. 

The House left them impressed even with the rushed tour they made through it -obviously missing some rooms. It was made more to brag about instead of actually living in it but they couldn’t deny it was amazing. Though, Iolanthe found a problem with the House. The front yard was just too short, with merely the cobblestone wide path that looked more like a parking lot and then there was the outer wall with the entrance gate. She could easily see the street beyond the gate and even the neighboring mansion in front. 

With how visible the House actually was, it was no wonder it never had any Wards. She could place a few, mostly the ones that the Black’s Ancient Home in London had though she was hesitant to include the Notice-Me-Not Ward making the neighbors or any other person familiar with the place wonder where the House went. The success of the Notice-Me-Not Ward depended on the people not knowing there was something there before and many people should have seen the House already. She didn’t want to be warned by the Italian Aurors about the usage of Magic and then make the Media know she had a House in Italy.

However, that reminded her of something.

“While cleaning and working in the lands, have you found hints of another person living in this place?” Iolanthe turned to ask Toty. She just remembered that Great Aunt Belvina had left the House to her disowned brother Phineas. The man should have seen the same problem as her and most likely did something if he actually lived there.

Toty paused for a second before cautiously nodding. “Toty knows of a place but Toty never entered it, so Toty is not sure.” He replied while looking a bit dejected for not knowing about the place his Mistress was talking about. 

“Doesn’t matter. Please, take us to that place!” Iolanthe said. The young House-elf nodded and quickly made its way out of the House. Iolanthe reached for her Husband’s hand and soon they also walked out of the House.

They backtracked their steps towards the backyard, the brick stairs and the rose tunnel, though instead of taking the main path, they took the right one; a narrow gravel path delineated by medium-size stones. The path guided them through a hill only to end up in fields of colorful flowers like carnation, snapdragon and delphiniums. The flowers easily reached their waists and the breeze carried the smell of the flowers. Since the fields were mostly plain, they could see from afar a little cabin. It looked more like a shack; not on the verge of falling but still not where a person would live.

Both Iolanthe and Reborn hesitated for a second before walking towards the shack to take a look. Toty had said he didn’t enter the shack but that didn’t mean other House-elves didn’t. After all, they had to clean and take care of everything in place; this must have included the shack, right? Five meters away from the shack, Iolanthe suddenly halted and with her Reborn, too. 

“Is something the matter?” He asked seeing her focused face.

“There are Wards here. Give me a moment to see if they are harmful or not.” She informed while taking out her wand and instantly swishing it this and that way muttering words under her breath. The process lasted a couple of minutes until she exhaled and put her arm down. Reborn heard as if something was breaking and right before his eyes the image of the pitiful shack changed to a small cabin. “Most of the Wards had collapsed only leaving a Concealing Ward, that’s why it looked like that. I still had to break them all so we could enter without any problems.”

Reborn nodded. “Doesn’t that mean the cabin wasn’t cleaned?” He mused. 

“Not necessarily. House-elves are amazing and can enter any place regardless of the Wards.” She praised making the House-elf accompany them puff up with pride. 

The inside was clean and with no strange smells yet it was as quaint as the exterior and it seemed no Expanding Charm was used in it. In hindsight it made sense as there was only one person living in it, so it made it all the more homey. The whole cabin consisted of one room working as living room, dining room and kitchen at the same time but in different places of the room; there was even a door for the bathroom on one side. The bedroom was some attic like room which could be accessed through a small staircase on the left. 

An ancient wood stove was even placed in a corner betraying just how old the cabin was to not have a more modern heater. The potted plants and wide windows gave it a lively vibe together with the light colors on the walls. There were no lamps, instead a couple of candleholders where placed on the table of the small living room. It was truly a charming cabin. 

“I know that face. You want to stay here.” Reborn teased making himself comfortable in one of the armchairs. 

“The main House is not bad, it’s just…” She trailed watching the place with a fond smile.

Reborn pulled her to his lap and into his embrace. “You like houses that have that homey feeling instead of a luxurious vibe.” He finished for her guessing her thoughts.

“More than that, I like places where I can easily cuddle with my Husband.” Iolanthe cheekily said.

Reborn chuckled at her words and he didn’t waste time to show her what it entailed cuddling with him. Poor Toty was once again witness to his rather enthusiastic Masters and decided to go look for something to do. He noticed the stove had no wood so he arranged himself the task to gather some wood and also giving himself an excuse to leave his Masters alone for a period of time. Toty didn’t know how long he spent gathering wood but when he got back to the cabin, the sun was starting to set. Both his Masters had changed into more comfortable clothes and his Mistress smiled at him the moment he returned.

“I was wondering where you were.” Iolanthe said with a refreshed smile on her face. “Oh, you brought wood, I was about to call you for that.” She noticed the pile silently floating behind Toty and she constantly praised him for being so thoughtful leaving the House-elf embarrassed. “I also wanted to ask if the main House is stocked with food or do we have to buy the ingredients?”

Iolanthe’s question left Toty looking at her in mild horror. He had obviously forgotten about food and he relayed that information to his Mistress almost on the verge of tears.

“You can go buy them now. We are still checking out the cabin, so that will give you time to get the ingredients.” Reborn said making Toty perk up and eagerly nod. With a pop, Toty immediately disappeared to carry out his task only to sheepishly return wringing his hands. Reborn smirked to then hand Toty a few bills and a list with ingredients. Toty took them and stuffed them in the pockets of his overall, disappearing again.

Neither Iolanthe nor Reborn had missed the fact that the House-elves they acquired were using presentable clothes instead of the usual pillow-case. Iolanthe surmised it was all the doing of Hermione who had most likely persuaded the House-elves to start using clothes. As they were unemployed elves, there wasn’t any problem about that ‘setting them free’ issue. So, they must have succumbed to her logic. 

“So, you even had a list prepared. What are you planning?” The whole exchange happened in front of Iolanthe so she curiously asked her Husband about the ingredients list.

“I’m planning to cook for you.” Reborn replied folding the sleeves of his shirt to then check out the kitchen for pots, pans, knives and such.

“You are cooking?” Iolanthe’s eyes sparkled at the thought of her Husband’s cooking. She had only tried it once and she almost swallowed her tongue with how delicious that potato soup was that she was bursting with anticipation at what he would do for dinner.

“Baby has been unhappy with me lately. I don’t want to be seen as an useless Dad.” Was Reborn’s amusing reply which made Iolanthe laugh.

“You heard that baby? Daddy wants to share some love with you.” Iolanthe gently patted her lower abdomen with a small smile on her face.

Iolanthe’s words thrilled Reborn. She wasn’t wrong in remarking he wanted to share love with his unborn child. He had never expected to start a family, much less have a kid but there he was, immensely pleased, exhilarated and full of what he thought was love for that child. It was just… Reborn was no idiot; at that moment he caught the flash of disappointment in Iolanthe’s eyes. She often had that look whenever she told him he loved him but he didn’t respond in kind. He knew it was unfair to her and that maybe it would bring troubles to their relationship but he would abide to his vow to be sincere with her.

If that meant keeping mum whenever she confessed to him and made her a bit unhappy, then it was better than lying to her to give her false happiness. He was not a good person but he would be damned if he was bad to his Wife. There was no way he could force himself to feel something he was afraid to feel yet looking at her still rubbing her belly, trying to hide her sadness, he thought that maybe something would bloom between the two thanks to the fruit of their passion…

His thoughts were interrupted by the pop of Toty coming back with the ingredients for dinner. Reborn grabbed the bags and instantly went about the kitchen preparing a simple Minestrone. Of course, since it was him preparing then it was not a simple soup and the process was not simple either. Reborn was adept at using guns; in fact, Iolanthe had never seen him using another kind of weapon that didn’t involve the usage of ammunition. However, that didn’t mean he wasn’t skilled in others. The way he moved the knife, with precise and efficient movements, was a breathtaking scene. 

Perhaps he couldn’t be considered an expert like others who devoted their life to the knife but he at least showed better skill than Iolanthe. Iolanthe learned her cooking with his Muggle relatives since she was very young and after years of manually doing everything, incorporating her Magic into cooking was easier said than done. That’s why she still had to spend some time preparing the ingredients and slowly cooking them while still experimenting when she could use her Magic to increase the efficiency. Reborn’s method of cooking depended mostly in his fast movements at the moment of preparing the ingredients. The time he had to use to actually cook was still the same slow process.

Even so, dinner was prepared faster than if it had been Iolanthe doing it. She didn’t complain as the aroma of the dish being cooked smelled so delicious her stomach had been constantly grumbling and her mouth salivating. She even forgot everything about eating delicately just how Draco had taught her and devoured the dish that was put in front of her as soon as she sat at the small dining table. More often than not, she burned her tongue but she didn’t mind.

Reborn watched with a mild smile at Iolanthe’s way of eating. Having lived alone for most of his life, cooking had become a necessary skill when he didn’t feel like eating at a restaurant. Never before he had thought of his cooking as special and the dishes he could actually make greatly paled in comparison to Iolanthe’s repertoire, so seeing her so happily gobble down the soup somehow made him feel proud. 

Pride was not an unknown feeling but the circumstances in which he felt proud were hugely different than at that moment. Many times he woke up thinking he had been dreaming it all, from the moment he received that letter saying he was going to marry. But being in constant contact with Iolanthe convinced him that it was not a dream, that his reality was vastly different from what it was before. That his life had completely changed. He was not only threading on the path of a Hitman; he also had the tags of being Head of Family, Lord of a House, Husband and a Father.

One thing came after the other that he truly couldn’t help himself being skeptical. 

But no, the person in front of him was the one responsible of the change. The person who had confided to him after a tiring session of sex that he was not really her ideal man, that the least she wanted after the ordeal that was her life was to interact with a cold-blooded Hitman who could easily disregard life and see it as just a monetary reward. Yet it was the same person who afterwards said that despite everything he was, she had still fallen head over heels for him, that she truly loved him with all her might that the sole thought to lose him was unbearable to her. 

Reborn marveled at the amount of feelings she invested in him and those feelings left him dreading over what would happen if he felt the same for her. Reborn could deceive others regarding his life, or at least lead them astray. But he himself was aware that he carried a small trauma after that day his Mother was killed before his eyes and the subsequent murder of his Father by his own hands. His Mother was then the first and last person he loved and thinking of how she ended up made him fear of what would happen if he once again loved. If he loved Iolanthe…

He didn’t dare to finish that thought. 

He was also aware that he had become a hypocrite, not only because of his unborn child but because of Farid, too. The fact that he was not afraid to love his kids, adopted or not, yet could not take that final step with Iolanthe just turned him into a coward. Nevertheless, he couldn’t resolve that knot. He didn’t know how to resolve it. The only way he could prove Iolanthe how important she was to him was through his actions; and he just hoped they were enough for the time being. That’s why he was happy to see Iolanthe appreciate his measly cooking. 

_Iolanthe is truly the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen,_ he thought; not realizing he had put her in a pedestal in his heart. Far above everything he considered important to him, including his own life.

“Why aren’t you eating and just keep staring at me? Do I have something on my face?” Iolanthe’s words broke through his thoughts.

“No, I am just enjoying those chipmunk-like cheeks you have from eating too much.” He instantly teased her not lying as she really had puffed cheeks.

Iolanthe patted her cheeks and could feel how they have bulged up from the food she was chewing. Her face instantly blushed in embarrassment and she started to eat more sedately to avoid being made fun of by her Husband again. The dinner continued among their talk of their schedule for the next day. They would fly towards England as soon as they were done eating breakfast with the Ottava.

Afterwards, they either needed to wait for or pick up Farid at the Black’s Ancestral Home in London to take her up to Scotland to the Potter’s Ancestral Home. 

Done with their dinner, they headed out to walk around the flower fields. Iolanthe thought it was a shame they couldn’t stay longer to enjoy the view that’s why she wanted to at least bath herself in the aroma of the flowers around her. Following the gravel path, they discovered it made them walk around the fields and return to the cabin after an hour of leisure strolling. The moon hung high in the sky by the time they made it back and lit the candles in the room to give them some light. It was still dim but it was better than the complete darkness they entered into.

The bathroom was pretty small with only the toilet and a shower, leaving them with the option to use it one after the other. Luckily, the House-elves who tidied up and changed the necessary appliances as well as furniture made it so there was water flowing through the pipes. Iolanthe used the shower first and then brushed her teeth at the sink in the kitchen while her Husband used the shower himself. When Iolanthe was getting comfortable in the bed up in the attic cum bedroom, she could hear Reborn brushing his teeth. When he was done, he blew the candles leaving the cabin in darkness yet he still nimbly made his way up.

The bed was not big but it still could appropriately accommodate the two if they cuddled, thing they did while sleeping. 

Iolanthe didn’t waste time in letting her intentions for the night known as soon as Reborn got in bed. She wasn’t that shy anymore in making him know what she wanted; they were happy with it anyway as they were both trying to make the best out of their week and enjoy it as the Husband and Wife couple they were.

Having reflected during dinner, Reborn decided to take control and keep it simple with the good old face-to-face with the added close up as he leaned his forehead on hers but still taking care not to completely crush her under his weight. It made the moment more intimate and intense due to their eyes not leaving the other’s for even a second. Despite the rather noisy bed, creaking to the pace Reborn had set, they had decided to keep it quiet between them and whispered their sweet nothings between fleeting kisses.

Pearls of sweat mingled in their bodies making them slippery and easier to move due to their closeness. Their constant panting and the increase in pace announced that they would soon reach completeness which they drowned in a deep kiss. Catching their breath, they enjoyed the aftermath of their peak with subdued caresses, he even idly traced her scars. They tacitly decided to end it there with just that one round, so Iolanthe went on with her usual ritual after their sessions.

“I love you, Renato.” She said still clinging to his body but in the position they used to go to sleep. As it was usual, she would just expect the ‘Sleep well, Iolanthe’ from Reborn but it didn’t come. She thought he had fallen asleep but his voice sounded a few seconds later.

“I… I…” The change in words left Iolanthe stunned but soon hope filled her and she waited expectantly for his words. Though, her hopes were cruelly crushed when he didn’t say anything more after stuttering ‘I’ for a few seconds. 

“It’s ok. You don’t have to force yourself. I can still wait.” She decided to save Reborn from his predicament and said those words, just clinging to his body even tighter. 

_It’s not ok,_ Reborn thought, _if it was ok, you wouldn’t be crying._ He could feel the tears falling down on his chest but he refrained from commenting about it. As the one at fault, there wasn’t much he could do about it except kiss her head, hold her tighter and wait for her to fall asleep before doing it himself.


	35. Going Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On their way to have breakfast with the Ottava, Iolanthe finally realizes why Reborn was fixated with the Italian House.
> 
> Returning to England, Reborn and Iolanthe catch up with the others before taking Farid to the Potter's Ancestral Home.
> 
> Luna gives some spoiler about the baby and Farid hopes for the best with the new sibling on the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, after crying a bit with the last chapter (yes, this author also cried while writing that part), I present to you the last day of the week with Reborn having his normal body!
> 
> It really is the last day, whole, from what they did since morning till night. Now, there is a ( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ʖ ͡°) ͡°) moment at the end of the chapter so you have been warned. It is the reason why this chapter is called 'Going Black'. If you remember the conversation Iolanthe had with Narcissa, you will understand. Of course, there is no explicit content.... well, sort of, but nothing that will make you uncomfortable (I hope since I know not everybody likes smut and stuff).
> 
> By the way, after reading the chapter please read the notes at the end.
> 
> Enjoy it and thanks for reading!

* * *

 

 

The following morning they were back to normal. Before leaving, Iolanthe instructed Toty to keep the garden and to tell whoever was in charge of the cabin to help them clean it. He was also instructed to relay Mitty the message to send Petal, Dew and another House-elf to the Potter’s Ancestral Home. Toty nodded and instantly left to do as told. Meanwhile, the couple made their way up to the main House, discussing if they should invest in buying a car or any mean of transportation.

“If it’s to move around Italy, then I guess it’s not a bad idea.” Reborn voiced his opinion.

“But we could also use it to travel around Europe, right?” Iolanthe’s knowledgeable regarding motorized transportation was very limited, that’s why her words were not very confident. She knew cars can be used to travel long distances remembering the time Uncle Vernon drove like mad around the country to avoid all the letters of acceptance to Hogwarts.

“It’s too troublesome if we depend solely on a car to move around Europe, that’s why there are planes and even trains to make the trip faster.” Reborn patiently explained.

“Oh, then, should we maybe buy a plane?” Was Iolanthe’s naïve response which shocked Reborn. He couldn’t help plant a big kiss on his Wife’s lips.

“You truly talk like a tyrant.” He teased. “Do you think planes are cheap?”

Iolanthe blushed realizing she said something disparaging. “So, we will get the car?”

“Are you planning to learn to drive?” Reborn asked instead of replying. If they got a car, it was obvious she would be the one driving.

“I need to learn? You said you couldn’t but we still perfectly travelled through Hungary.” Reborn’s lip twitched hearing her mention that. Any normal person, and even him, could tell that he was a horrible driver. He truly had never officially learned how to drive so whenever he did, he could be considered a hazard at the wheel yet Iolanthe said he had ‘perfectly’ driven through Hungary. For some reason, the idea to get a car for Iolanthe to drive it left Reborn in cold sweat.

“Let’s talk about that later. Anyway, we have arrived.” He announced after putting the matter of the car aside hoping it never sprung up again.

“Huh?” Iolanthe was perplexed. All they had done is… cross the street and they had already arrived? She turned and could see the gaudy yet impressive gate with a big B in it she recognized as the entrance to the Black House right across the street to confirm if she hadn’t walked further than it looked but, no. They truly had just crossed the street and stood in front of the gates with a coat of arms and the name ‘Vongola’ in it. Suddenly, Iolanthe had an epiphany. “Is this why you were interested in the Italian House?!” She asked incredulous.

Reborn’s smirk was unholy. “That’s right. The Black House is right between Vongola and Varia Headquarters. Isn’t this marvelous?”

“I suddenly feel the urge to tear down the House.” She mumble a bit at a loss.

Arms suddenly encircled her to press her against a strong chest. “Don’t be like this. The faces from the ones in the Varia were really amusing when they heard we were neighbors and their landlords. Just imagine, what would Nono be like when he realizes we are neighbors a day after that disaster meeting?”

Iolanthe gaped at him, speechless. “I’m not sure if you like your employers or not.” He had practically signed a slave contract with them and did everything they told him to do, but then he wants to see the agonizing face of Timoteo Vongola after revealing the fact they were neighbors.

“They are ok. Everything is all in good fun.” Reborn dismissively replied. “Let’s go in. I bet the Ottava is already waiting for us.”

True to his words, Daniela Vongola was already waiting for them in one of the rooms in the wing of the mansion she lived in with breakfast already served. Her Guardian was pouring some tea for her while listening to her grumbling about not being able to drink coffee. She sipped the tea and grumbled a bit more before perking up at seeing the couple arriving.

“I thought you wouldn’t come, what took you so long?” Compared to Timoteo, Daniela was a bit more pleasant to be with even if she used her Sky Flames to coax information out of a person.

Iolanthe blushed not really wanting to answer the question because it was her fault they had left the House rather late. She couldn’t be blamed. After her emotional breakdown the previous night, she felt guilty and decided to give her Husband a better memory and woke him up rather spicily. However, her Husband had no qualms in withholding information and placidly replied while helping Iolanthe to her seat.

“The traffic was horrible.” Iolanthe could hear the anticipation in his voice for that particular conversation to take place.

“Was it? Do you live that far away?” Daniela heard Iolanthe groan and the old woman noticed too late the sparkling eyes Reborn was sporting.

“Oh yes, too many cars passing by for us to calmly cross the street.” Reborn said and waited for the words to register. His smirk turned into a grin when Daniela almost spit her tea, though some still leaked from her mouth. After struggling to swallow her tea, she laughed unrestrainedly easily getting what Reborn was hinting at.

Daniela had noticed the mansion in front of them was being renovated with many trucks coming in and out, transporting many new furniture. For years the mansion had been abandoned so she was curious as to who had finally bought it and planned to live there -which Famiglia, more precisely. It just never occurred to her that it would be the couple sitting before her. She should have been able to guess the day before when she could clearly see the rings on both Iolanthe and Reborn’s right hands and the B in one of the rings having the same design as the B in the gates.

Still, the news shocked and delighted her just thinking what her son would say about this tidbit of information and she knew Reborn also wanted to see what Timoteo’s reaction would be when he discovered the woman, Wife of their best Hitman lived just across the street. After that light opening in their conversation, everything went smoothly from then on while they ate their breakfast. Daniela didn’t divulge anything about the Mafia and Iolanthe wasn’t keen in wanting to know either; the old woman did ask for details about how they Marriage came to be and got the same story of a meddlesome ancestor trying to do something important in the Family but terribly failing.

By the end of their breakfast, Daniela turned a bit serious and turned to Iolanthe. “I am not going to ask what you did to give the Arcobalenos their original body, I just want to know…” She trailed off. Her courage leaving her. It was hard to her to ask for help about this. But it was her grandson!

“I am but an outsider. What makes you think your son will be happy with me trying to meddle with your Famiglia?” Iolanthe inquired knowing what Daniela would ask from gleaning her thoughts.

“Does that mean…” Daniela deflated in her chair. She could feel that her end was near and all she wanted was to see her grandson one more time.

Iolanthe sighed. Her ‘saving people thing’ was rearing its chivalrous head again. “Could you tell me anything you know about how he came to that condition?”

Daniela perked up but then hesitated. “I don’t know much about what actually happened and Timoteo refuses to tell me. I also don’t know about the technique he used to trap him. I can’t use it.” For once, Daniela was thankful of Iolanthe Potter’s ability that seemed to know what was in her mind and allowed the conversation to flow freely.

“Have you seen him in this new state?” Iolanthe asked to look for more options. Luckily, Daniela nodded. “I am guessing that wherever he is, it’s a secret and nobody is allowed inside. So, would you mind if I extract the memory of you seeing him so I can start studying his case?”

“Can you do that?” Daniela asked skeptical.

Instead of answering, Iolanthe whipped out her wand and pointed it at her temple. Then, under the rapt attention of Daniela and her Guardian, a silvery filament was extracted from Iolanthe and curled around the tip of her wand. “This is one of my memories. We use something call a Pensieve to watch other people’s memories as if one was actually there. If don’t trust me, I can ask one of my elves to bring one so you can watch this one.”

Daniela paused. “Will you let me do that?”

Iolanthe’s smile turned a bit broken. “Once a memory is removed from one’s mind, you are only left with the notion of the memory but you cannot recall it. As it happens, this memory is one I always wanted to get rid of but didn’t have the courage to do so. There are many instances I felt extremely guilty and when I was the most helpless, this memory contains both. I won’t exactly miss it.” Without giving the old woman time to think, she called. “Kreacher.” The old House-elf appeared with a pop. “The Black Pensieve, please.”

Kreacher nodded and disappeared again to come back with a metal basin that contained a silvery liquid in it. Pensieves were extremely rare and from the Houses she was Lady of, only the Blacks had a Pensieve. When she first used it, out of curiosity, it contained memories of truly despicable Blacks making her instantly fish out all those memories and put them in vials which were then stored in the Black’s Ancestral Home’s attic under a Ward so nobody would chance upon them.

Iolanthe glanced at Kreacher and froze for a second. “Thank you, Kreacher.” Iolanthe told him with most sincere words.

“Anything to serve the House of Black.” Kreacher responded with a bow then disappeared with a loud crack.

Iolanthe then turned to Reborn. “He might be gone when we go back to Britain.” She announced making Reborn nod understand her meaning. Kreacher was really too old so it wasn’t surprising if he died at any moment and Iolanthe was able to give him some last words for his short service towards her. Iolanthe composed herself and placed the memory in the Pensieve and then gestured for Daniela to leaned on it and assuring the old woman it was safe. 

“I’ll watch it with you if you are still doubtful.” Reborn suggested. As someone who had already used a Pensieve he also felt weird the first time so he understood the Ottava’s reticence to use it. Daniela trusted Reborn enough to relent and in they both went, their faces submerged into the silvery liquid and their bodies becoming rigid while their consciousness travelled into the Pensieve and into Iolanthe’s memory.

Iolanthe pursed her lips seeing the figure of her Husband watching that particular memory. Her hand gently rubbed her left forearm as if it hurt just with the thought that someone else was living that moment with her.

With her memory gone, she could finally be freed of her guilt of taking Cedric to his death and being an unwilling part of Voldemort’s resurrection. Her pitiful attempts at dueling the older Wizard and her fear at being totally bested. At that moment she was like a cornered beast, not knowing what to do but determined to make it back alive. Or at least make Cedric’s body return even if hers fell in that cemetery. What happened that night and allowed her continued existence was pure luck, nothing was due to her abilities.

Thinking back to that moment, she felt ashamed of herself; to be so powerless. But more than anything, she felt resentful at always being her that had to face death constantly when she was but a mere student. The following years just took a toll on her psyche, the fact she could see into Voldemort’s mind, people labeling her as crazy, training those who would become soldiers, her Godfather dying, War, the Horcrux Hunting, the Final Battle. Death. Iolanthe was tired. Her soul aged from that time of the memory onwards. But she still held hope for herself, for her Family.

Her newfound happiness was the reason she was carrying on.

A hand on hers made her listless eyes focus on her Husband’s face who was looking at her with something she never thought someone would feel after seeing that particular memory. Even herself wouldn’t feel the way he was looking at her; with pride. That didn’t appease her but at least consoled her and gave her strength.

A cough from Daniela broke their moment. “You can extract the memory.” She said with surety.

Iolanthe nodded and went to the Ottava’s side to proceed with the extraction process. Before starting, Iolanthe instructed the old woman to keep the memory in mind at all times until she couldn’t recall the memory any longer. The Ottava thought it would hurt, or at least that she would feel something yet one second to another all she was left was with that tiny void in her mind from where the memory was. The silvery filament was being put in the Pensieve when she opened her eyes and she saw the young woman enter the Pensieve.

“She is a fighter, Reborn.” Daniela commented recalling what she saw in that memory.

“And that’s why I’m proud of her.” Reborn returned. He was finally aware of where and when she got that gash in her left forearm but instead of pity for what she went through he could only feel pride. Not many would be able to extricate themselves from that situation but she did, not perfectly, but she did it. That’s why he was proud; she didn’t give up and he was sure that those moments only made her stronger. The traumas that surged from those moments could be dealt with time but what she learned from them was even greater. Those were moments for her to grow up.

It was callous of him but as someone who lived in constant danger of death, he was the perfect person to understand her and make her see that she shouldn’t be ashamed of what she was back then. Because that imperfect Iolanthe from the past was finally polished to become the perfect Iolanthe he was married to. Alright, he was being biased at calling her perfect but to his eyes, she was. Everything about her was perfect. Even her faults were perfect.

In the Pensieve, Iolanthe could see a dilapidated room, destroyed from battle. There was a huge chunk of ice in the middle of the room. The Ottava and Nono were arguing in the back, the old woman demanding her son to undo what he had done to him, to Xanxus, yet Nono remained firm in the decision that it was for the best. Iolanthe wasn’t aware of the reason why the young man was encased in ice but she could see the pain, not only for what happened to him but the unwillingness, rage and sadness in those eyes for how he ended up like that and more than anything, the betrayal.

It was limited what she could do with a mere memory but thanks to the Ottava’s Sky Flames, she could discern that a tiny Flame resonated inside the chunk of ice, coming from the young man trapped in it. She could start with that. The arguing behind her ended with the old woman calling her son heartless and leaving the room which at the same time signified the end of the memory. When she came out, the Ottava was looking at her with anticipation in her eyes.

“Do you want to sign a contract?” Iolanthe asked after sitting on the chair she had been occupying.

"What for?" Daniela asked confused.

“I know you don’t have much time left. As a servant of Death, I can feel when It will come soon. I am not wishing for you to die but I guess you also know about your own situation. That’s why we can sign a contract. I will do my best to release your grandson from his prison; in exchange, you will have one last chance to talk with him, even if dead.” Iolanthe explained.

Taking a deep breath, Daniela turned serious. “Your words say you are confident you can take him out of there.”

“I consider your Dying Will Flames as Soul Magic. I can start with that. I just need to know everything about Sky Flames.” Iolanthe said pouring some tea and sipping on it.

“You want to experiment on Sky Flames.” Daniela’s face darkened not liking one bit that implication. But Iolanthe’s countenance of total confidence made her have hope; that even if she died, she would have that one chance to see her grandson once more. For that one chance she was willing to do anything. “Let me arrange everything on my end and I will contact you afterwards. Let’s write that contract first.” She gestured for her Guardian to bring pen and paper.

Once written and signed with Iolanthe’s blood and Daniela’s named and Flames, the couple made their way out. The old lady watched them leave with a stern expression. Iolanthe Potter was more capable than she let it show. Just the fact that she was confident in reverting the Zero Point Breakthrough spoke of her abilities and knowledge. With a sigh, she prayed her son didn’t make an enemy out of her; otherwise, the Vongola would be finished. And Reborn would most likely sit still and watch it all burn from the sides.

Anyway, her time as Head was over and her life was almost over so it was time for her to be selfish and not care one wit about the Vongola. “Contact Talbot and tell him it’s urgent.” She ordered her Guardian. If Iolanthe wanted to experiment on Sky Flames, then it will be hers.

...

“You shouldn’t have taken that job.” Reborn expressed while they were on the plane flying back to Britain.

“I also think I shouldn’t have.” Iolanthe sighed. Looking out the window, she could see the clouds in the sky but for some reason, flying up above in a plane wasn’t as good as flying on a broom. All that enthusiasm she had to experience flying by plane vanished when she felt cheated by the lacking event. “But I am not one to turn my head when I can do something to help.”

“The Ottava doesn’t need help, Iolanthe.” Reborn commented. Maybe Iolanthe had spent too much time idle but Daniela Vongola, even if aged and on the verge of death was still a dangerous woman who seldom needed help from other.

“It’s not her that needs help.” Iolanthe retorted in a low voice. After that, she refrained from talking about the matter. Yet she kept thinking about what she saw in that memory. Wizards also had a Freezing Spell but it was not at the level of what that young man, Xanxus, experienced. She had no way to confirm the freezing was of a different kind but it still put Iolanthe in a conundrum from the fact that what afflicted Xanxus came from Flames. Sky Flames.

All she knew about Sky Flames came from Reborn. They had the actual ability to burn plus that ‘Harmony’ aspect of them. Sky Flames accepts all the other Flames and keeps them balanced. Once more she thought that Dying Will Flames are really perfect to keep the Balance of the world. Even Sky Flames are about balance and it seems are the only ones that can change its characteristic from burning to freezing. All the other Flames maintain their own characteristics and it was only by combination that they can change. Yet combination was rare, as the Vindice had said.

Hm, she truly lacked the necessary knowledge to theorize. It was going to be an arduous job.

With Twelve Grimmauld Place before her, she kept those ideas aside because she had more important things to do. Mere seconds after going through the door, they could already hear small stomps making their way towards them. They didn’t need to think hard to know to whom those stomps belonged to. Lo and behold, a little figure hurriedly made its way down the stairs and ran towards them. With Iolanthe in front, the first one the figure latched onto was her.

**“How was your trip, Farid, dear? You had fun?”** Iolanthe asked, awkwardly placing her arms around the girl to hug her back.

**“It was amazing! There were stars in the water and storms with monsters fighting and whales with islands on their back. I got a huge painting of them in my room. Oh, and there were mermaids!”** With someone finally able to talk with her -that was not a snake and who had not already hear her adventures-, she let loose that innocence she envied from Teddy. **“There was a volcano too and-”** Her words halted when she finally noticed the man standing behind her Mom and she quickly dived behind Iolanthe.

Seeing her actions made Iolanthe laugh. **“It’s ok, Farid; that’s Dad. See?”** Grabbing Reborn’s hand, Iolanthe wanted to let her daughter see that it was not some strange man. Farid had gotten used to her Husband’s dangerous aura but the girl confided she liked him more when Iolanthe and Reborn held hands as she could take a good look at him that way. Iolanthe understood that it was all Farid instincts and hoped that with time, she could interact with Reborn better.

Farid peeked from behind Iolanthe’s skirt towards Reborn and finally recognized that familiar smell of Home from their joined hands. It was just weird. A week ago, her Dad was smaller than her yet he had become tall, even taller than Mom. He looked different even if she finally noticed the same smell she could identify as Dad. And truly looking at him… She hid behind Iolanthe again. 

**“Oh? Is something the matter? You don’t recognize Dad anymore?”** Iolanthe became a bit worried so she crouched in front of Farid. The girl shook her head and leaned towards Iolanthe to whisper in her ear. The girl’s words stunned Iolanthe for a moment before sending her to a laughing fit.

“What? Something happened?” Reborn could understand the exchange bar a few words and he had to admit he was unhappy that his daughter was hiding from him.

“No… it’s…” Iolanthe tried to answer between laughs but she couldn’t stop seeing her daughter’s expression. Calming down, she threw her Husband a mischievous smile. “It seems I will compete with my daughter for my ‘cool and handsome’ Husband.”

Reborn’s lips twitched clearly understanding what she was hinting at. She looked down at Farid who was sending him furtive glances while fidgeting. Well, he had heard somewhere that a daughter’s first crush was their own Dad so he didn’t mind; what he minded was the effect it would have on her if she kept avoiding him like that. The image of his own daughter running away from him made him unhappy. So he would have to take the problem in his hands. Reborn was not one for words, he was more actions; as such, he swiftly picked up his daughter in his arms and walked up the stairs towards the Sunroom where the Wards told him the others were.

Iolanthe watched with a small smile, while following them, the transfixed and blushing face of Farid at having Reborn so close. She could also see the blushing was receding but the girl could simply not take her eyes off him. A pang of sadness entered her heart when she compared Farid with herself. James Potter was not an overly handsome Dad like Reborn. And looking past that bully façade, Sirius had told her he was actually a funny, caring and brave man.

Iolanthe never met her Dad, all she knew about him came from stories Sirius and Remus told her, so she never had that opportunity to have a ‘crush’ on her Dad like Farid. The man she loved was worlds apart from what her Dad was and that somehow saddened her yet at the same time relieved her. She would have felt awkward if she based her lover on her Dad; that would be really strange. So no, she was happy with her own experiences and she would let Farid have her own.

“Stop spacing out and sit, Iolanthe.” Draco’s voice took her out of her thoughts and she finally noticed they had arrived at the Sunroom and she was standing like a sore thumb by the door.

“My, Draco, I thought going on vacation would make you happier. Instead, you became somewhat grumpier.” Iolanthe mocked.

“Don’t mind him. He’s just pulling his Pureblood long face because Farid said he couldn’t cook.” Luna joined in making fun of their friend.

Iolanthe laughed. “Draco tried to cook?”

“He braved the kitchen for breakfast today but the simple task of frying bacon and toasting bread didn’t end up that well.” Astoria recounted while giggling. Draco’s face became even grumpier and haughtily gave the others the cold shoulder. “By the way, Iolanthe, how did the matter go?”

“Oh, I went to the Ministry and presented the documents, the reporters were troublesome as always but my Husband put them in their place. We got some House-elves to take care of the Black Houses and I finally found the Peverell castle! I also visited the Malfoys to discuss the Lord matter with Lucius.” Iolanthe recounted.

“Not that matter, the other one.” Astoria pointedly looked at Iolanthe and the latter blushed catching on the former’s meaning.

“It went well, it’s very Sunny in there.” Luna responded instead fixedly looking at Iolanthe’s abdomen.

“Sunny how?” Reborn asked, his eyes glinting.

“Sunny like you, Sunny Lord.” Luna’s focused eyes turned to Reborn.

He wanted to laugh delighted but supposed it was not the right time and place so he refrained from doing so and merely nodded at Luna. Of course, his good mood couldn’t be completely hidden from all the people in the room who thrived in catching even the minimum change in someone’s expression. They just decided not to comment about it and a round of congratulations ensued, instead. Iolanthe didn’t have any qualms in beaming at them accepting their words and teasing.

**“Why are you so happy, Mom?”** Farid’s sibilant voice came from where she was, perched on her Dad’s lap not wanting to leave it at all. After all, every time she came in contact with him she was subjected to a very comfortable warmth as if she was basking in the sun. As someone who was half-snake, she found that to her liking.

**“We will tell you about it when we go to the Potter’s Ancestral Home. You should go pack your things, we are leaving as soon as you are done.”** Iolanthe told the girl with a wide smile which made Farid smile back, with fangs and all, to then run out of the room to pack.

“I will go help her.” Reborn stood up and volunteered. After all, it was going to be hard for the girl alone to arrange everything.

“How was the visit to my parents?” Draco asked as soon as Reborn was out of the room. He was aware his parents were sometimes difficult people. And with what had been printed in The Prophet about Lord Potter being a Muggle, then he had no idea what would they say or how would they act with him. Draco was aware that Lord Potter was a dangerous man and he was somewhat worried for his parents.

“It went well. Your Father was difficult at the beginning but once I told him that I would tell the Aurors about his illegal activities with Theodore Nott, then he began to cooperate.” Iolanthe said reaching for a pastry.

Draco’s face turned ashen. “He did what?”

“Theodore Nott was illegally taking out information about the creation of a Time-turner and he contacted your Father for the project.” Iolanthe informed him. Draco was on the verge of fainting, raging or simply bolting out of the room to give his Father a throughout throttle. “He thought I wouldn’t know about it. So I subtly gave him a choice, either he returned to politics or returned to Azkaban. Of course he chose politics and I am sure Narcissa gave him a tongue lashing for his secretive stunt.”

“Oh, thank Salazar.” Draco deflated on the armchair, relieved beyond relief. Part of it was because of his self-preservation. Finding Lucius Malfoy guilty of illegal activities would drag the whole Family with him but most of it was relieved because he worried about his Mother. He didn’t care if his Father rot in that prison for his own mistakes but to make his Mother share the same fate with him… that enraged him.

“I am sure your Father will behave in the future. My Husband made sure of it.” Iolanthe’s smile sent a shiver down Draco’s spine.

“What did he do?” Draco's eyes shone with interest.

“Hm, as far as I know, the ten minutes your Father spent alone with my Husband while I was away taking a walk with your Mother, he almost died more times than when he was a supporter of Voldemort.” Iolanthe breezily commented.

“Holy shit.” Draco breathlessly said. He knew his Father well; under all that pride and haughtiness, the man was a coward. So being under threat of dead was the best way to put him in his place. He felt a thread of pity towards his Father but more than that Draco was delighted. The man almost ruined the Malfoys so it was fine if he was taken down a peg or two or a dozen.

“Yeah, anyway, our plans are on their way. Hermione will be our secretary, thinking she is perfect for the job.” Everybody around nodded accepting that Hermione Granger was a force on her own and that when it came to academics, they couldn’t compare to her brand of genius. She just needed to be shaken up and get rid of her naïve views of the Wizarding World. “All we need to do is polish some things here and there, and then wait for the 20th. Let’s set Grimmauld as our place of meeting. I am not sure if you will stay here.”

“With you going to the Potter’s Ancestral Home, I will go with Astoria to the House in Wales. I finally got my Mastery in Potions anyway so I will be a bit busy finding a job and arranging the Prince House.” Draco told his plans.

“I will return to my house. Daddy needs help with the Quibbler and Rolf wants to meet him.” Luna said with a small smile.

“Rolf finally came to his senses?” Astoria asked pleasantly surprised. Luna nodded gaining a round of congratulations from her friends.

“Iolanthe, Sirius told Farid where he could find Wands in the House and now she is attempting Magic.” Reborn’s voice suddenly sounded entering the room with Farid holding his right hand while his left hand held the bulky trunk they had bought for her.

“I never thought you would be such a snitch!” Sirius boisterous voice came from the only frame in the Sunroom. He looked very offended and nervous. “It was just a small Shrinking Charm, Prongslet. If not how would she be able to stow that huge painting of hers? Besides, the Wand works perfectly for her, there is no harm in her having it.” Then, he quickly explained himself to his Goddaughter.

“She can do Magic while talking Parsel?” Iolanthe exclaimed surprised at the discovery. She knew there were spells using Parsel, that’s what people called Parselmagic. However, she had never heard one could use the normal Latin spells with Parsel. **“Show me!”** She enthusiastically asked Farid.

Farid took out a brown pinkish wand and pointing it at an armchair she casted **“Reducio!”** The armchair turned tiny in front everybody who looked flabbergasted.

“We were right.” Iolanthe whispered then turned to look at her blonde friends. “Luna, Draco, we were right! It’s a matter of intention! As long as we know what the spell does and how to cast it, it doesn’t matter if we speak it in different languages. We couldn’t do it because our mind can’t associate the unfamiliar word with the spell but she can!” 

“There are many loopholes, though.” Draco said with a furrowed brow.

“Still, it’s a start.” Luna retorted being optimistic about the matter.

**“Oh, my baby girl is a genius!”** Iolanthe gushed while hugging and spinning Farid. Farid didn’t know what was going on but she let out a hissy laugh.

Reborn looked at the scene with exasperation. He still threw a glare at the smug Sirius who stopped laughing and just sheepishly smiled. 

Sirius knew it was dangerous for a kid to have a Wand but he had found the girl following behind Draco when he went to the library and flipped through spell books. She always had a cute frown on her face, obviously not understanding what it was written on the books. He thought she was trying to learn Magic and reckoned she would be able to do it if she had a Wand. So he let her enter the main study where the Head of the Black Family hid some of the Family Wands for her to choose from.

The Wand that chose her was one of Beech wood and Unicorn hair. Sirius didn’t know much about Wands but he was knowledgeable about the Wands from the Black Family as someone who was once considered Heir and taught many things. The Wand belonged to one Iola Black who was disowned for marrying a Muggle. The Wand was taken from her before she was thrown out of the House. Curiously, Beech wood wands were made for people wise beyond their years when young and very open-minded. He guessed that’s why it belonged to Iola Black who didn’t care about Pureblood practices and married that Muggle.

The first time Sirius saw that Wand, he could feel that it was dying due to being separated from its owner for over a century and thought that it was already dead until it somehow became lively when Farid touched it. Wand in hand, Farid went back to her studies but she couldn’t still perform a single spell because she was unable to understand the words in the book. That’s how Sirius interfered and taught her simple spells. He had to gesture a lot and repeat the spell a hundred of times for Farid to understand and finally cast it. Her first tries obviously failed but she never gave up.

Thanks to Sirius gestures and her perseverance of wanting to learn what he was trying to say, she could get the gist of what the spell did and repeat the Spell word in Parsel that she succeeded. Of course, the spells she learned were meant to prank people according to Sirius nature yet she still wasn’t aware of it.

After making a fuss of Farid being able to cast Magic at five and in Parsel, everybody started leaving the House. Because Iolanthe wasn’t able to Apparate, the Portkey travel was too messy and the Floo wasn’t opened either in the Black cottage or the Potter’s Ancestral Home, then they had to be creative in their way of transportation. Iolanthe’s first suggestion was to fly by broom but Reborn wasn’t able to make it move. Going by car was banned by Reborn; he didn’t want to hurt Farid with his poor skill. In the end, both Farid and Reborn had the pleasure to fly by Thestral under a ton of Notice-Me-Not Charms.

The flight was fast, making them arrive at their destination an hour after lunch time. Farid was still jittery from the flight because it seemed she was afraid of heights. Not once she left Reborn’s arms to look around. She forgot all about her fear when she enjoyed the way she had to enter the Ancestral Home; it was like a game to her. And of course, she marveled at the House itself. It was so different from Grimmauld’s gloominess despite the renovation. She was even delighted to know that the forest surrounding the House was part of the House lands.

Forest which Iolanthe entered to direct the Thestral to its new home and of course, to release their Basilisk. She had the mind to bring all the Creatures but the forest was not that extensive so she desisted of the idea. She did bring all the snakes for Farid to have friends to talk to. Some small snakes unsurprisingly made their new nest in the Greenhouse while the others -the bigger ones- decided to head for the forest.

Farid was ecstatic with her new room. In Grimmauld, she was using Sirius’ old room so it had a man’s vibe. At the end of the day she was still a girl so her new room with a red wall and the rest in white -because she like the combination-, the fluffy bed in white covers, the furniture in a soft pink hue and the flower like ceiling lamp was perfect for her. There was even space on one of the walls to hang her painting of the whale. It was still a bit austere but as soon as she put her clothes in the wardrobe, her books in the small shelf and some of her knickknacks in the bigger shelf, it looked more lively.

Lunch and the rest of the afternoon right up until dinner was spent with Farid recounting with great detail what she had done in her six days on a ship and in the Bermuda Triangle. Reborn and Iolanthe just asked her for more details about her experience and on she went with her stories. They were happy to see Farid had changed from the nervous and shy girl they had found in India and how well she had adapted to them despite the short time they had spent with her which they thought was a shame and promised themselves to make it up to her.

During dinner, Iolanthe decided to tell Farid of the pregnancy. **“Farid, dear, there is something we must tell you.”** The girl looked at Iolanthe with curiosity and anticipation. **“There is going to be a new member in the Family.”**

Farid’s eyes widened. **“Who?”** It had to be said that Farid was still a child. She thought that just like how she became a member of their Family, that this new person would be like her.

**“We haven’t named the baby yet, but it’s in here.”** Iolanthe chuckled while patting her belly.

Farid’s eyes travelled to Iolanthe’s abdomen. She was naïve sometimes but she still was aware that women could grow children in their belly. She had seen some women with huge bellies back where she lived before to then be seen carrying a baby some time later, looking very happy. A thread of apprehension was born in her heart.

“When the baby is born, you will be a big sister, Farid.” Reborn said catching that apprehension in the girl’s eyes. Iolanthe very helpfully translated for him for easier communication. “The baby will depend on you as the big sister, you will teach it many things, you will take care of it. When it grows up, you can be partners in mischief.”

Reborn’s smirk made Farid giggle. Then she asked, **“Aren’t babies bigger?”**

**“Oh, no, you will have to wait for Mommy to get fat and grumpy and starting to eat gross things.”** Iolanthe joked making Farid laugh. **“For now, it’s very, very tiny. Never think, Farid, that because there will be a baby in the House, we will stop paying attention to you.”**

“The baby will be useless at the beginning, anyway, so I will count on you to have fun with since Mommy is a busy person.” Reborn said.

“Don’t say it like that.” Iolanthe chided her Husband but still helplessly translated for him. Luckily, Farid was a smart girl. She had also heard a story from one of the female snakes which raised a hatchling not of her own. The other female snakes constantly joked that the female snake would fight fang and tail just to protect that hatchling from danger until the hatchling left the nest when it grew up. Farid loved to think that it was going to be the same with her so with that hope in her heart, she nodded her head saying she understood.

Reborn and Iolanthe had no way to know if she actually understood the matter but decided to go with it and be very open with her in case she asked them about it. They still had to explain a lot of things to her but that was a matter left to Reborn in his attempt to start teaching her English even if she wouldn’t be able to speak it. So, before Farid went to sleep, she had time with Daddy. He explained how the following day, he was going to return to his small size. He also explained his job schedule and that there would be times he was going to be away from home for long periods of time.

Farid paid rapt attention to his words while he spoke, introducing from time to time the sign language he was starting to create. More than once he had to repeat his words but that only helped Farid to understand what he was saying and Reborn saw it as huge progress; oftentimes praising her for being so smart. In her desire to keep learning, she started asking questions regarding the sibling.

**“How did Mom get a baby in her belly?”**

Reborn inwardly wailed. He had hoped those questions would be directed to Iolanthe but he resulted to be the unlucky one. “Uh, well, Mom loves Dad very much and wanted to have a baby so I helped her with that… don’t ask how, you will know that when you are older.” _Or never if possible,_ he thought.

**“Is it a girl or a boy?”** Farid pouted at being stopped of asking for details so she asked the next thing she wanted to know.

“We don’t know, but Dad hopes it’s a girl.” Reborn replied the safe question.

**“Why?”** Farid cutely leaned her head to the side.

“Because I want a cute daughter like you, instead of a smelly boy.” He said reaching to pinch her cheek. Farid giggled and then yawned. “Alright, time to sleep. Sleep well, my girl.”

**“Goodnight, Dad. Tell Mommy I said goodnight.”** With that, she enveloped herself burrito-style with the sheets and closed her eyes. Reborn fondly smiled at the scene and exited the room to walk up to the Master Bedroom.

Opening the door, he was about to complain to Iolanthe about the misfortune of being asked how they made the baby when he froze a few steps away from the door which automatically closed. It was the last day of the week he had with his original body. It had been a very busy day and he thought that maybe Iolanthe would take it easy and just cuddle and make out for a bit before going to sleep yet there she was, not in the least bit wanting to go to sleep if the way her body twisted on the bed, her left hand roamed her body while her right one didn’t stop moving between her legs.

“Renato…” She whimpered. His throat instantly dried and he had troubles swallowing. He had seen Iolanthe being daring and very naughty but what was in front of his was just… Well, the aching tightness in his pants was proof enough of what he thought about it. He was about to walk towards the bed to help her a bit but she stopped him. “No, don’t move… just watch…” She breathlessly said. 

And so Reborn watched her change positions to give him a better view of what she was doing and damn, what a view it was! At that moment, only her existed in his mind. The voice that called for him and cried out when she did something right, her body that glistened in her sweat and sensually moved and her eyes that were looking at him and reflected what she was feeling. He didn’t even notice when his pants turned wet as he saw her body tighten for the third time only to lay sprawled on the bed, her bosom rapidly raising and falling from her ragged breath.

“Can I…” His throat was so parched that his hoarse voice broke not even able to ask his question yet she knew what he wanted to ask and she nodded. He stiffly made his way towards the bed not sure what he wanted to do to her. He didn’t want to ruin the image of what she had just done; it was simply perfect.

However, that decision was no longer in his hands when she pulled him to the bed and had her wicked way with him. He was totally mesmerized by her actions that never once he tried to regain the control of their lengthy, steamy and unforgettable session which ended way into the night with them totally exhausted, their bodies very sensitive and not wanting to move one bit before they fell asleep. With how their week had gone, none cared that the following day one will return to that hellish tiny body and the other would have a toddler as Husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOW!
> 
> I am not going to start saying 'This is my fic, I write what I want, blah, blah, blah....' but I will explain a bit in case people are not convinced by what Iolanthe did.
> 
> Some might think that it's not something Iolanthe would do; showing personal memories and all that crap. And it requires a bit of thinking because not many things get explained. But that's why there are notes here *insert cool laugh*
> 
> I am like you my dear readers, I also would like to know the WHY my characters do what they do, so I thought a bit and instead of going full length explaining in the chapter why things happen that might affect the flow of things (like I have noticed sometimes happen in my chapters) I decided to air them here. So, the reason is! Iolanthe is not fine.
> 
> Oh no! The horror! 
> 
> Yes, that's the reason. In canon, Harry goes through hell and back, dear Lord! (Literally!) Guy can't be fine! So Iolanthe isn't. What is written here is not entirely what is going on with her. She is basically still somewhat running away from stuff, giving her time to think things at her pace and then coming back to accept them. That's what peaceful times have given her: time to heal. Harry went to train to keep doing what he has always been doing not pausing to give himself a breath but Iolanthe did take that breath.
> 
> And as Shamal said many chapters ago: both her and Reborn are taking their new situation to heal from their nightmares. It won't always be with an instance like the memory thing or but always keep in mind that Iolanthe is still growing up and finding herself. 
> 
> If there is something in your mind about how you view Iolanthe in comparison to Harry, you can leave your comments. I would love to read your thoughts!


	36. Day at the Potter's Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning dedicated to Magic.
> 
> Afternoon dedicated to training.
> 
> Night dedicated to playing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say that the chapters that have Farid on it are my favorites because she's cute and gives a challenge to Iolanthe and Reborn in their parenting thing. 
> 
> We finally get a concrete way in how Farid will interact with her new parents and what will happen almost every day. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading :D

* * *

 

_**“Mom?... Mom?...”** _

“Hm?”

_**“There are strange creatures saying they will prepare my breakfast.”** _

_**“What?”** _

Iolanthe groggily opened her eyes only to see the intense yellow eyes from her daughter who was still clad in her pajamas. She was about to sit up but then she remembered she was wearing nothing under the sheets and stopped herself. She had fallen asleep on her Husband but somehow during the night and after he went back to the small body, he ended up sleeping on her. His face was buried in her bosom and he also had no clothes on him. Luckily only his hair peeked out from under the covers so Farid didn’t see anything inappropriate. 

_**“Wait outside for a bit, honey, we will be out soon.”**_ Iolanthe sleepily smiled at Farid. The girl nodded and made her way out of the room. “Wake up, Renato.” She called out but she only got a sloppy kiss on one of her mounds and tiny arms and legs clinging tightly to her. She sighed and sat up with the extra weight of her toddler Husband. With the new position he finally dislodged from her and fell on the covers. 

Leaping, he was immediately on guard, looking around. “Someone was here. What happened?” Iolanthe was amused at his antics and decided to tease him a bit.

“Your daughter was here but bolted out of the room seeing your perky butt cheeks naked.” She did her very best to not burst out laughing when she saw him blanch and then turn to the door in horror.

“For real?” He faintly asked. 

Iolanthe couldn’t hold it any longer and started laughing. “No, I was joking.” She said after her bout of laughter. Reborn sighed relieved ignoring Iolanthe laughing at him. “She is waiting outside though, so let’s put some clothes on.” 

Getting out of the bed, she showed the results of their wild actions from the day before. Reborn sighed at the view of the hickeys, bruises and the wonderful imprints of his hands when he spanked her perky butt. They were so debauched the day before that he felt a bit empty returning to his small body. Iolanthe came out of the walk-in closet wearing a turtleneck dark robe he guessed was for the cold weather yet she used it to cover all the marks in her body. She threw another robe at him and noticed it was for men. It was not turtleneck because his marks were mostly scratches on his chest and bites on his shoulders. 

The robe surprisingly, or not, shrank and adjusted to his body from its big size. Once clothed, Iolanthe opened the door and saw an interesting scene outside. Farid was staring at three House-elves as if they had stolen her favorite toy while the elves looked ready to cry for being wronged. Neither was talking and raised their heads at the same time when they heard the door opening. Farid rapidly made her way towards Iolanthe and tightly clutched the robe while still staring at the House-elves who seemed to be all female. Only then, Iolanthe realized that Farid had actually never seen a House-elf. She had already sent Kreacher to the Malfoys when Farid was brought to the Black’s Ancestral Home.

 _ **“That’s ok, Farid. These are House-elves, they are helpers of the Family and you will see them often from now on. They will sometimes take care of you and if you ask them nicely, they will play with you.”**_ Iolanthe didn’t want Farid to think that House-elves were servants so she introduced them as helpers and even playmates. “What are your names?” 

“Me beings Petal.” A small House-elf wearing a white dress and socks presented herself.

“I being Dew.” The tallest among them with a pink dress, a red bow and white socks said next. 

“Mimi.” The last House-elf was shy and kept tightly clutching her blue dress. Her socks were very colorful. 

Looking at their socks, Iolanthe surmised that was also Hermione’s doing. The male House-elves didn’t wear any socks but the females did. Well, the exception was Mitty who used warmers instead. “My name is Iolanthe, this is Farid and… this is my Husband.” Iolanthe presented even looking behind her towards the small figure watching all the process. “Farid is a snake Maledictus but due to some complication she can only speak Parsel so you will have troubles understanding her, she does understand a bit of what you’re saying so don’t be afraid to talk to her. It will help her. As for your chores… cooking won’t be a problem. I guess it’s just cleaning around, helping with whatever we ask and…” She trailed off. Apart from cleaning and helping her with stuff she had no idea what else they could do.

“We be helping Mistress while pregnant.” Dew suddenly said. 

“Oh, yeah.” Only then Iolanthe remembered she had no idea what to do while pregnant so having the Nanny House-elves might be extremely helpful. “Uh, it’s a bit late and we still need to shower. So I guess you will have to prepare breakfast for Farid.” She then turned to the girl. _**“Farid, dear, Petal and Dew will make your breakfast today. Be nice to them and let them know if you don’t like something.”**_

The girl nodded and walked towards the kitchen with Petal and Dew in tow. Mimi still stood there awaiting for her orders. Iolanthe’s only thought was the bed that was most likely smeared with the fluids from the night before and she blushed not wanting to say a word about it to silently wash the sheets herself. Luckily, there was someone who was shameless enough to say it.

“The bed needs new sheets. I will bother you with that.” Reborn came like a savior to Iolanthe.

“Yes, Master.” Mimi bowed and went to work. 

Iolanthe sighed. “That was so embarrassing.”

“What are you talking about? They have been taking care of our messes this whole week, except for the time we spent in Mafia Land.” Reborn looked at her with a strange face.

“What?” 

“You were so taken in by my looks that you didn’t notice?” Reborn smirked like a rogue. “You were so busy with me, I was busy with you so who do you think cleaned after us?”

Iolanthe groaned mortified for not realizing that sooner. He was right. She just thought that it was him who had taken care of everything when she saw that wherever they were naughty in was clean, when she looked again. She should have guessed that it was the House-elves. Her oversight could have been because she never thought they would be this attentive towards them while they were working on something else. 

At first, they didn’t know was that it was all Mitty’s work. As she had already worked for another Family, she knew all about keeping the house clean no matter if the Masters asked for it or not. So she constantly checked on the Potter’s Ancestral Home for anything to clean. She was no stranger to messy bedsheets or couches or rugs or any other place, so she efficiently took care of it not noticing she had been caught in the act by her Master. Master who was enjoying the mortified expression of his Wife while mumbling in a low voice all the times and places they had done it and the House-elves had to clean. 

“Come on, you. Let’s take a shower.” Reborn spoke, taking her out of her stupor. 

She felt some sort of déjà vu with his words and was reminded of that first day of the week he said the same thing and she unceremoniously threw him out of the bathroom. She felt it was longer that just a few days before but contrary to that day, she just calmly followed him to the bathroom. She could still see his blurry original form and she tried to touch him but her hand went through the blurry figure and he didn’t feel anything. Either way, toddler or not, he was still her Husband and she still thrilled at the idea of sharing a shower or a bath with him.

…

An owl quietly made its way towards the table where a Family was eating their breakfast. It was a small, cheerful thing that hopped from one place to another and looked at this plate or that other one unsure of what to eat. Finally, a small plate with three strips of bacon was placed in front of it and it happily dug in not caring about the hands that were untying the letter it was carrying. Done with its food, it felt eyes on it and quickly turned its head towards the source only for a hand to quickly shot at it, catching its little body. It screeched loudly calling for help but stopped when it felt small fingers scratching its head. It got comfortable, turning its head to the right of the left for the hand to keep scratching it.

A hissy laugh sounded. _**“This bird is funny.”**_

 _ **“That’s a scops owl, dear. Its name is Pigwidgeon but we call it Pig.”**_ Iolanthe explained while reading the letter she untied from the owl. “Hermione says she made it into the Administrative Offices of the Wizengamot and has even sent us the form we need to fill out to make her our secretary. Funnily, the moment she stepped into the Offices, people already guessed what she was there for and reporters started asking her what my plans for the Wizengamot are. Hm, she can’t handle the Media that well as she’s sometimes too honest under pressure. She needs training with that.” She commented to her Husband eating beside Farid. “Mimi, quill and paper, please.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Mimi disappeared and appeared seconds later with the items.

“Today is the 8th. Better arrange for a meeting with the others on the 15th since we have a lot of things to do these days…” Iolanthe’s musing was interrupted by the arrival of another owl, this one looking more regal and imposing. 

Seeing a bigger owl, Farid reached towards it in curiosity only to be stopped by Reborn right on time. A beak closed with a click at empty air. If Farid hadn’t been stopped, most likely her finger would have been bitten off by the vicious bird. The owl looked at Farid with disdain only to squawk the next second when it was shot dead by a very angry Reborn. 

“Get rid of it, Mimi.” He commanded still angry.

“Yes, Master.” The shy Mimi shakily walked towards the table and disappeared with the owl. She had never seen such a terrifying Master before. Well, it was her first Master and so far he had been nice though he looked very scary when he was angry. 

An Arcobaleno and two House-elves fussed over a pale Farid still frightened due to what just happened; her lips were pursed but she refused to cry. Iolanthe’s heart was still beating fast in anxiety. If it wasn’t for Reborn’s fast reflexes she would have had a hysterically crying daughter while she tried to reattach her finger. She had a solution in mind but if possible she would do her best to avoid a tragedy. At that moment, Mimi returned with a letter in her hands.

“This bes in the owl, Mistress.” She said handing the letter to Iolanthe. 

“Thanks, Mimi, you did well.” The elf ducked her head, shy from receiving praise from her Mistress. Iolanthe almost tore the envelope trying to take out the letter in it. Reading the name of the sender and then at the content of the letter, she sniffed at the sycophantic words from this Edward Burke almost demanding her to accompany him to an auction taking place on the 10th. She passed the letter to Reborn for him to read. Opposite to her bursting temper, he calmly placed the letter down.

“Tell him you are going.” His voice was placid.

“What?” Iolanthe almost yelled indignant but noticing his cold gaze, she refrained herself.

“We are going to that auction, Iolanthe.” His expression sent a shiver down Iolanthe’s spine and she felt it was a pity he didn’t have his original body anymore; otherwise, he would have received a pleasant reward at night. Instead, she only nodded and went back to replying Hermione to then write her answer to Edward Burke. By her Husband’s request, she passed the letter to him and he added a few words in it. “Docky!” He suddenly called out.

A tall, mean-looking and somewhat bulky House-elf wearing only pants and boots appeared with a loud crack. Iolanthe knew the name of the elves, she just couldn’t remember their features so she had no idea they had such an imposing House-elf. “Yes, Master?” Even his voice was gruff and sly like a hoodlum. 

“I have a very important mission for you, Docky.” Reborn began, placing the letter for Burke in the envelope Mimi gave him and sealing it with the Potter’s crest on the wax. “You are to slap this letter on Edward Burke’s face for his impertinence.”

The female House-elves jumped in fright for such a request yet Docky just crookedly smiled and bowed taking the letter. “As Master commands.” He said disappearing in another loud crack. Seconds later, he returned with a schadenfreude expression and relayed. “The letter was delivered as ordered. Edward Burke was accompanied by other men when he received it.”

Reborn’s smirk turned into a grin. “Well done, Docky. You may return.” 

With the elf gone, Iolanthe asked. “How did you know we had such a House-elf?” She didn’t miss the fact the elf spoke good English unlike his peers but just his appearance alone left her stunned.

“I was curious when you asked Hermione Granger for elves who could take care of Magical Creatures considering the repertoire you have in the basement and how dangerous they were, so I paid more attention to them. They all look almost the same but Docky had this sly look in his eyes that caught my attention and I thought he would be the daring sort. It seems I wasn’t wrong.” He explained.

Reborn wanted Kreacher to deliver the letter because the latter looked as if he disdained everything on Earth. Sadly, the three female House-elves told them he had passed away the day before, effusively asking for forgiveness due to leaving their duties. It turned out that before passing away, Kreacher had called for all the House-elves under Iolanthe and instructed them of what they had to do to not embarrass the three Houses they served. He even designated one of the elves as the one in charge of taking out the necessary money for whatever task that needed it. 

That took a burden off of Iolanthe who would have to assign a House-elf for that specific job and go through the process with the Goblins too. As such, she only needed to send a letter to Bloodfang to confirm that the House-elf Mippy had the authorization to take out money from her vaults.

Either way, Docky had done a splendid job and Reborn was satisfied with it. “Right, breakfast is done. Letters have been sent. Let’s go play, Farid.” Of course, that playing was subtle training from his part. She had nicely and swiftly caught that small owl showing great reflexes but they wouldn’t be used to their maximum if she couldn’t catch on time the killing intent. He reckoned it was because she was on a grey area regarding her nature. She had the instincts of a snake but her human part didn’t act accordingly to those instincts. That’s why he was going to refine them with a bit of training. 

However…

“My beloved Husband, Father of my children, star of my dreams, apple of my eyes.” Reborn froze knowing very well Iolanthe’s endearing words didn’t bode well for him. “Don’t you have portfolios to check?” All his enthusiasm left his body. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to do it but… politics was not his forte even if he was adept at it. 

“But, Farid…” He still tried to plead his case yet as a whipped Husband he wasn’t able to refute Iolanthe’s words. Not when it came to Farid’s education.

“Farid will start to learn Magic from me in the mornings. You can have her in the afternoons.” She stated. “Let’s move to the Family Room.” 

And so the Family of three moved to the inner part of the House. Iolanthe moved some of the couches around to free some space for Farid to try some spells. She also instructed Petal to go purchase and make that tea she drank in that restaurant in Italy where she met the Vongola. Dew was tasked to move the desk in Farid’s room to the Family Room together with parchment and quill, and Mimi brought out the three portfolios for Reborn to study in a corner of the Family Room. 

_**“You will have to know, Farid, that at your age, your Magical Core is still growing so your Magic is still unstable. You can use a Wand and can cast spells but more often than not you won’t be able to cast them no matter how perfect your pronunciation and wand movements are.”**_ Iolanthe started with her lecture as soon as everything was ready. _**“I can teach you a few spells to measure how powerful your Magic is and what you are most proficient in. If you are good at Charms, Transfiguration, Jinxes, Hexes, etc. However, with your situation what we need to do first is see if your Core has suffered any damage due to what you went through and if we can fix it.”**_

_**“It can’t be fixed.”**_ Farid suddenly announced much to Iolanthe and Reborn’s -who was eavesdropping- shock.

 _ **“What do you mean it can’t be fixed?”**_ Iolanthe asked a bit worried. Farid herself knew of her condition better than anyone so Iolanthe wouldn’t dismiss her words just because they were said by a five-year-old girl. 

_**“The King said that my Core isn’t damaged but that it was already set and is just going through its growing period.”**_ Farid said with her head lowered and her fingers playing with the quill.

 _ **“Are you able to change into your snake form?”**_ Iolanthe knew that when it came to Magical snakes, Sissee was more knowledgeable than her since she was a Basilisk but she wouldn’t easily give up on her daughter if she could help her. 

_**“The King said I can’t naturally do that and to look for another way.”**_ Farid glanced at Iolanthe and noticed her Mom’s pensive expression. 

“When is the next Full Moon, Dew?” Iolanthe asked.

“It’s being on the 12th, Mistress.” Dew dutifully replied.

Nodding, Iolanthe turned to Farid with a smile. _**“If you can’t be a normal Maledictus, then you will become an Animagus. An Animagus is a person who can transform into an animal at will after a long and dangerous process. I will do it together with you so you know what exactly you must do.”**_

“Mistress, it’s not recommended to dos great acts of Magic whiles pregnant.” Dew interjected. She couldn’t understand what Mother and Daughter were talking about but she needed to give her the warning just in case. Who knew her warning would be timely given?

Worried, Iolanthe asked. “The baby was conceived a few days ago. Is it still dangerous?”

“What is Mistress bes trying to do?”

“To become an Animagus.” 

“Mistress must not!” Dew exclaimed in panic. The process barely needed any Magic but the sole fact the transformation to become an Animagus can affect the body was dangerous for a pregnant woman as it was unknown how it would affect the baby, Dew constantly warned Iolanthe and gave her a lecture. 

Being explained of the dangers, Iolanthe glanced at Farid. “Then, how am I going to instruct Farid through the process?” 

“Dew knows about Maledictus and Animagus, and I cans guarantee that Missy Farid will easily transform as long as she does the Mandragora leaf step.” The House-elf confidently said. 

Iolanthe thought about it. House-elves had a special brand of Magic, same with Maledictuses so it shouldn’t be surprising if Dew could understand what a Maledictus could do and instantly guess what kind of complication Farid had regarding her transformation abilities. After some mulling, Iolanthe decided to trust Dew and told Farid what she had to do on the coming Full Moon. For a five-year-old having a leaf stuck in their mouth was positively dangerous and Iolanthe warned Farid of it finally asking if she would be able to do it.

Farid felt warm knowing her Mom was concerned about her situation, looking for a solution and was happy that even if the solution was not safe, she still asked Farid for her opinion making Farid think that her thoughts were important. As an orphan who had started developing her independency, the fact that her Family took her opinions in consideration and listened to everything she said couldn’t be better. With how much her Mom trusted in her own judgement, the more she believed that she would be able to do keep the Mandragora leaf in her mouth for a month. 

_**“I’ll do it!”**_ Farid exclaimed with determination.

Iolanthe stopped herself from asking if she was sure because Iolanthe could see that overzealous determination a kid had to not disappoint their parents. So Iolanthe just nodded and explained a bit more of what she was expected to do and not to do during that month. But most importantly, if she felt that she couldn’t hold it anymore, then to spit the leaf. Farid, at the end was still a kid and instead of feeling that Iolanthe didn’t completely trust her, she was happy for the concern. Well, that’s what happens when a kid didn’t receive one bit of affection and craved for it. 

The lesson kept going with Farid trying out simple First Years spells. As Iolanthe said, some times she could cast the spell but some times she couldn’t. Oftentimes, the spell went wrong or askew and hit other objects. Farid even hit Reborn with an overpowered Leviosa that kept him floating around the place. Of course Reborn saw no reason to dodge as it was just a levitating spell and having experience with floating around thanks to Iolanthe’s prank, he just made Leon turned into that propeller to prevent him from bumping into things while he continued reading the portfolio in his hands. 

When the lesson ended, Iolanthe could arrive to a few conclusions regarding Farid. Her Magic was not abundant and could be average at most, affecting the quality of her spells. She deducted it might have something to do with her issue in her Core. Being a Maledictus meant that there was a curse in her bloodline, so most of her Magic depended on it. If she was from one of those Families that was declining due to its members not having enough Magic then it could explain her average Magic; though, Iolanthe was also of the idea that maybe Farid’s Magic was busy trying to unravel the problem of her not being a proper Maledictus. 

Just like how Iolanthe’s Magic protected her from the influence of the Horcrux. She would have to wait to see how it would pan out after the Mandragora leaf step. 

Also, Farid was a fast learner. Iolanthe was delighted to know that Farid was like her and thrived more in practical learning than reading boring theory and study to finally being able to cast a spell. Iolanthe still had to study lots of theories and concepts to get her N.E.W.T.s but she would always try first and see the consequences later as a good Gryffindor. Thing Farid obviously shared when she first started casting spells with only the supervision of Portrait Sirius, who wouldn’t be able to do anything in case something went wrong. As such, Farid learned a spell faster the more she practiced it instead of being told over and over what the spell did. 

Curiously, she had troubles to cast a simple Transfiguration spell, she actually wasn’t able to do it. Transfiguration was a precise science though a bit of imagination was needed to easily visualize the result of the Transfiguration yet Farid couldn’t. Iolanthe was no expert, but she could only assume that perhaps Farid wasn’t able to Transfigure anything because she herself, as a person who embodied a Transfiguration, wasn’t able to do it. It was a silly reason but sometimes with Magic one had to think really out of the box. For the time being, Iolanthe desisted of teaching Transfiguration to Farid. All in all, her daughter was a genius and she was proud.

Lunch was a quiet affair with only Iolanthe calling for Mitty to ask about the progress in the Peverell castle and if the place was sturdy. Mitty said they would have to call for people who knew about that and Iolanthe had no choice but to contact the Goblins again. Their services were expensive but she didn’t trust anybody else when it came to construction. Farid asked Reborn what Iolanthe was doing and Reborn said Iolanthe was renovating a castle. The girl’s eyes sparkled hearing about a castle and asked her Dad everything about it. 

With many things to arrange not only for the Wizengamot, but also for the Peverell castle and even wanting to do a bit of study for her new job, Iolanthe wasn’t able to accompany her Husband and Daughter in their outing. Though, she still made sure Farid was wearing appropriate clothes. Father and Daughter strolled around the forest behind the House with no purpose whatsoever. 

Honestly, Reborn was waiting. He had noticed Farid’s mindset had somehow changed, he had seen it with her enthusiasm to learn English by herself without him or Iolanthe mentioning it before. She was even keen about learning Magic yet he felt she was not satisfied with it; so he was waiting. And his patience paid off a few minutes later.

 _ **“Dad?”**_ Farid stopped walking and looked at the small frame of her Dad that curiously still exuded that dangerous aura as if he was a huge beast ready to attack and kill.

“Yes, Farid?” He stopped too but didn’t look back at her. A small smile perched on his face. 

_**“I… Is there a way for a hatchling to become strong?”**_ She fidgeted and nervously watched Reborn.

Reborn was not surprised by her question but he was still curious as to why Farid would want to be strong so he turned around and asked. “You want to be strong?” The girl nodded. “Why?” His eyes sharpened. 

There were many reasons why a kid would desire strength. Him, for example, pursued strength to stop being a helpless kid who anyone could easily kill. Iolanthe had to become strong because not doing so meant a certain death. Both were under threat of death yet Farid wasn’t. She had been bullied for her unique features and more than once she must have suffered severe injuries; however, it shouldn’t be reason enough to become strong. Not when she wasn’t in that environment anymore.

Farid hesitated for a long time but she could only say. _**“I don’t know.”**_

Reborn inwardly sighed relieved. At least she didn’t have a severe reason for her to become strong; there was no threat. Still, there must be a reason for her request. “Then I can’t teach you anything. Let’s keep walking.” He shook his head and then turned around.

Farid watched with an anxious heart the retreating back of her Dad. There truly wasn’t a reason for her to become strong, she just wanted to be… yet it was her lack of reason that was impeding her from her goal. Why? Why? She thought for a long time but still couldn’t come up with anything. Seeing Reborn was already far away from her, she felt fear and it was that fear that pushed her to run after him.

 _ **“Wait! Dad! Don’t leave me behind!”**_ She yelled.

 _So this is it,_ Reborn thought. His heart tightened hearing her miserable cries but he forced himself to remain calm. 

Finally reaching him, she stood in front of him tears rushing down her face but her voice never broke. _**“I want to be like you! Like Mom! Someone strong who can make others feel safe, just like how I feel with you. I… I want to be like you, so don’t leave me behind.”**_

Reborn watched her crying face with a blank face though he was in turmoil inside. Never once had someone told him that they felt safe with him. Iolanthe was stubborn and strong enough to take care of herself even if she liked to be pampered from time to time. But to hear someone say they trusted him enough with their safety… People only said he was dangerous. His Wife knew he was dangerous yet she accepted and loved him like that. His daughter could feel he was dangerous yet she still felt safe with him. His life had truly changed. 

With his mind made up, he ordered in a stern tone. “Don’t cry, Farid.” The girl stopped sobbing and looked at him with watery eyes. “You truly want to become like us?”

Farid nodded wiping away her eyes.

“Do you know what we are like?”

Farid had many impressions of what her parents were like but she stood in the cautious side and shook her head. Reborn took a deep breath. Iolanthe would get angry at him for this; they had decided to tell their kids about them when they were older, after all.

“I am a killer, Farid. I kill for money.” The five-year-old stood rooted in her place with wide eyes understanding through gestures and words what her Dad was saying. “Your mom is someone who had been in war and ended up a broken person. We became strong due to gruesome circumstances. We are the kind of people nobody would leave a child with. However, we decided to raise you because we wanted to give you a happy life, away from fights and situations in which you tether between life and death. Knowing that, do you still want to become strong?”

Farid kept silent. She wanted to say she didn’t, that she would be happy having them with her but it was in her nature. That snake side the King constantly reminded her to listen to told her she had to do it. So she nodded. _**“I want to.”**_

To Reborn it was fine if she couldn’t find a reason to become strong but he wanted to test her resolve, her determination, only like that he wouldn’t hold back in his teachings. With time, Farid would find that reason she was becoming strong for and even if she never found it, at least she had ways to keep people who wanted to harm her away. After all, it was unrealistic to keep her ensconced at home her whole life. 

“Follow me.” Reborn walked with sure steps. The times he spent walking in that forest taught him everything he needed to know about it; not even Iolanthe knew the forest like he did. He lead her towards a part of the stream that was not deep and some thin and brittle trees had fallen making a crude bridge. “Stand in the middle of these trees.” 

Farid looked at the stream, the makeshift bridge made of trees and then at her Dad. His expectant eyes gave her the courage to step onto the frail trees which bent under her weight. Her heart beat really fast but she still kept walking. Her foot slipped and she had a taste of the biting cold water from the stream; luckily, only her foot had the misfortune of touching the water. Now on fours, she cautiously made her way towards the middle where she shakily stood up, the trees making ominous noises but still able to support her weight. 

“You have good reflexes, Farid. You are quick and your instincts are fine. However, you are not in tune with those instincts making your good reflexes useless.” Reborn analyzed in a calm tone as if he didn’t mind his daughter being in a spot where she could easily fall to the cold water. “From now on, you will use those instincts and good reflexes in an attempt to dodge and avoid calamity.”

_**“How-”** _

_Splash!_

_**“Ssssss!! It’s cold! So cold!”**_ She screamed falling from those trees into the stream which reached her waist when she stood up. She was totally soaked and trembled while quickly scrambling out of the water. _**“Dad…”**_ She whimpered with clattering teeth at Reborn who held a gun that shot a small ball which had made Farid fall down. 

“Back to the trees, Farid.” He said with a stern expression. 

Farid wanted to refuse but it was as if she truly was Iolanthe’s blood daughter and just stubbornly strode towards the trees and slowly made her way to the middle, not slipping like the first time. Reborn was immensely proud at her. When he trained Dino in a similar way to improve his reflexes, the young man was standing above a canyon with a river down below. The whole process of climbing back up was tiresome but Dino knew if he didn’t return then worse things would happen to him. In comparison, Farid had it easy. Still, it was not something a five-year-old would normally go through. 

A normal Dad wouldn’t have the heart to throw their daughter to cold water just to train her.

But Reborn was not a normal Dad. If he could make his pregnant Wife go through mild hellish training just so she could learn to swim, why wouldn’t he be equally cruel with his daughter who had expressed her desire to become strong. Daughter who could never once dodge his shots and took a splash into the water time and time again yet never once complained and wordlessly made her way to the middle of the trees. 

Reborn had no hope of making progress towards her reflexes the first time yet he was delightfully surprised when she improved her nimbleness. He had noticed that she had light feet, easily sneaking through places -proof he got when he couldn’t even hear her enter the Master Bedroom in the morning- and with a nice balance to her steps. The more she walked on those thin trees, the faster she got, quickly remembering which parts were weak and which were sturdy, her steps becoming more confident until she could even jog on the trees. 

They stopped their training when it got breezy. With her clothes dripping wet, she could catch a cold even faster. Taking off her clothes and donning a Leon-turned-blanket, Farid followed Reborn back to the House. With how long they walked just to reach the stream, she thought they would travel the same distance. But she discovered that the stream was actually close to the House. She stood stunned for a couple of seconds when they arrived to the front door. 

Looking at her expression, Reborn smirked. “You need to work in your sense of direction, Farid.” It turned out that Reborn had been going around the forest meandering it and even going through the same place twice and Farid hadn’t notice and felt ashamed. “We will also work on that. You did amazingly well, today. You have great potential.” He didn’t forget to praise her hard work which made her happy. 

They were received by Petal who took Farid’s wet clothes from Reborn to wash them and said a bit flustered that she would prepare a warm bath. Entering the Family Room, Farid was instantly picked up by Iolanthe and taken upstairs towards the Master Bedroom and into the bathroom where the warm bath was ready together with some herbs to prevent her from catching a cold and there was even a Pepper-Up Potion being held by Dew. Iolanthe didn’t care about her clothes getting wet and swiftly entered the bath with Farid. 

Leon turned back yet didn’t make an effort to leave the bath and freely swam in it. The last to enter was Reborn who did it with just his underwear on. Dew handed the Potion to Iolanthe who quickly made Farid take it and like that only the Family of three plus a Leon were left in the bathroom.

“What happened?” Iolanthe asked gently rubbing Farid’s body with soap. Not seeing a single scratch on Farid’s body, she wasn’t as anxious as before when Petal told her Farid’s clothes were wet and cold.

“She fell into the stream.” Reborn casually replied. Though he had underestimated Iolanthe when she was worried and startled when she gripped his jaw and unceremoniously entered his mind to see his memories of what they did in the afternoon. Never before had Iolanthe been so aggressive with her Legilimency on Reborn so he was caught by surprise and his reflex to resist any kind of attack kicked in making her forcefully exit his mind leaving him with a headache. “Iolanthe…”

However she ignored him and started to fuss on Farid. _**“Oh, my baby, are you hurt? Are you feeling well? You don’t feel cold anymore?”**_

 _ **“I’m fine.”**_ Farid drowsily replied. She was tired from the training. The Pepper-Up made her body feel internally warm plus the warm water and her Mom’s rubbing made her relax so much she was on the verge of falling asleep. Iolanthe sighed and didn’t stop the girl from falling asleep and just called for Petal and Dew to prepare Farid’s pajamas so she could take a nap. 

Getting out of the bath, Iolanthe discarded her robe for Mimi to take care of it and strode in only her underwear towards Farid’s room where she dressed her and tucked her in bed leaving Petal and Dew to take an eye on her in case she got a cold. Only then she returned to the Master Bedroom going into the walk-in closet to change and found Reborn there choosing his clothes. 

“What did you do, Renato?” She accusingly asked. 

Reborn paused and turned to her. “Yes, Iolanthe, I forgive you for forcefully rummaging through my mind without my permission.” He said sarcastically. He could bend to her wishes most of the time but he was no pushover and what she did angered him.

“This is not what I’m talking about!” She snapped.

“But this is what I want to talk about!” He retorted not backing down. 

“Renato…” She stopped herself from yelling agitated. “Give me a moment.” She sat down on a couch placed in the middle of the room and deeply breathed to calm down. Petal and Dew had been hounding her the whole afternoon trying to stop her from stressing herself, what with her being pregnant; no matter if the baby was just a fertilized egg growing to be a fetus. As she breathed, she looked back at her actions and felt guilty. The situation could be solved if they talked about it; yelling would do nothing but make them fight and then get hurt. She seriously didn’t want that.

She opened her eyes when she felt a small hand on the one she had unknowingly moved towards her lower abdomen. Her Husband was looking at her with concern, all traces of anger gone. 

“Are you ok?” He asked glancing at where the baby was forming. 

Iolanthe exhaled. “I’m so sorry, Renato. I was impulsive and did something to hurt you.” She even pulled his small body into an embrace planting her face in his unruly hair which smelled of the herbs from the bath and that particular smell that was her Husband which he still had even if he was a toddler. 

Seeing her fine and apologizing, he had no intention to continue that part of the conversation. His heart had flipped in fright when he saw her sit down and clutch her lower abdomen making him think that he had agitated her too much and hurt the baby. As a newbie Dad, he had no idea that even if the first trimester had a high rate of miscarriage, Iolanthe’s Magic was doing its job in protecting the baby so as long as Iolanthe didn’t do something outrageous that endangered her life, then the baby should be fine. 

Trying to make her calm down was just preventing her from creating a busy and stressful lifestyle that would truly hurt the baby in the future. 

“She wanted it, Iolanthe.” He pushed the conversation forward to easily clear any misunderstanding while getting comfortable on her lap and bosom. 

“I know.” She said with sadness in her voice. 

“It’s not a bad thing.” He reasoned.

“I… I just felt I had failed. I wanted to give her a better life, one in which she didn’t need to worry about being attacked or being mocked… Something different from what I had.” She felt frustrated and in a bad mood. She knew being a Mother wasn’t easy, she just never thought she would fail that early.

“Iolanthe, listen to me.” Reborn commanded grabbing her face with his pudgy hands. “I am not an expert in this. I can even confidently say that I could be considered a bad Father out there with no idea what the hell I’m doing. You… you have gone through so much that you have more problems than a deluded teenager.” Iolanthe snorted knowing he was right. “Right, we cannot be the appropriate pair of parents but surely we can’t be the worst. Just the fact you want to give a home and a better life to those kids who need it without asking anything back makes you a better Mother than those with neglected biological children. I… well, as long as I am healthy everything else doesn’t matter.”

“Don’t say that, you are fine.” She consoled when he lost confidence in himself being a good Dad. “What daughter doesn’t want a cool and handsome Dad or sons who would look up to you?”

Reborn was ok with having daughters but sons… “That’s why trust Farid. Trust that whatever decision she makes will help her become a better person and even if she turns bad, then… then…”

“We punish her, Renato. We nag until she goes back to the right path, whatever that will be to her. Don’t go soft on her just because you are a daughter’s fool.” She said holding back her amusement at seeing his reluctant face at hearing ‘punish’ and ‘daughter’ in the same sentence. 

“Becoming strong is not bad for Farid. How else will she kick away those boys who start fluttering around her?” Reborn said with a justified expression making Iolanthe laugh and plant a big kiss on him not forgetting she couldn’t go further than that. Oh how she missed that week they could do anything.

“She will grow up and fall in love with a man one day, Renato… or who knows a snake, perhaps.” She said enjoying the disgruntled face he had. She sighed. “Just make sure she doesn’t get hurt that much and I will do my best so she doesn’t get sick from whatever you put her through like making her fall into cold water.” She relented since she had no reason to stop Farid from doing what she wanted. “Just the fact the one we are waiting for will be a Sun already distresses me… No, don’t look smug like that.” She scolded pinching his face. 

“I have all the right to be smug, Iolanthe. Normally, to activate Dying Will Flames one has to face death yet our kid was just conceived and already has Flames.” Iolanthe could see his chest puff up in pride. 

“Must be an effect of having a Magical parent. From the moment a Magical baby is conceived, a Core is already forming in it. Wizards are just too ignorant of that fact and keep using unorthodox methods to verify if a kid has Magic. Accidental Magic is the most common way to confirm it but if the kid never presents any bout of accidental Magic then other ways come forth. I remember Neville was dropped from a second-floor window by his Uncle to check if he wasn’t a squib. Though that’s another erroneous view of Wizards; squibs do have a Magical Core, they just can’t use it due to different factors. They still can pass on the Magical gene to their kids.” She theorized and explained.

“Luna Lovegood said the baby is Sunny but she didn’t mention anything about Magic.” He was so happy at the mention of Sun Flames that he didn’t stop to think about the actual reason his life changed and found an amazing woman to call Wife: the contract stipulated that the baby needed to have both Magic and Flames. “How would be known if our kid has Magic and Flames?” 

“I don’t know.” Iolanthe sighed. “It’s almost like Teddy. His Mother was a Metamorphmagus while his Father was a Werewolf. Remus was always dead worried his Lycanthropy could be passed on Teddy and with good reason because it can actually be hereditary. Teddy was born a full-fledge Metamorphmagus instead which he got from Tonks, his Mother; however, he still gets a bit jittery during Full Moons. It can be said that my Magic and your Flames battle against the other and the winner gets to be inherited by the baby though there are still some effects from the loser.” 

Both turned pensive an stayed silent for who knows how long until a squeak brought them out of their thoughts. 

“Master… Mistress… dinner… dinner…” Mimi stuttered with her head bowed not daring to look at her Masters in a rather compromising position. 

The compromising position was Iolanthe lounging on the couch with Reborn laying on her and playing with her bra. Neither had any idea of how they ended up like that but that is how Mimi found them and misunderstood their actions. To be fair, anyone could have misunderstood that intimate position since they only had their underwear on and Iolanthe still had her bruises and hickeys adorning her body. She flustered as if she was caught red-handed doing something indecent while Reborn calmly told Mimi they would head to the kitchen in a bit. Mimi promptly popped out of the room without a reply. 

“At this rate, the House-elves will think we are a horny pair.” Iolanthe mumbled mortified. Remembering Petal and Dew must have also seen her body. It was a relief Farid wasn’t able to see her.

“And I still think you look beautiful with my marks on your body.” Reborn commented going back to picking his clothes and picked Iolanthe’s while he was at it. 

“That’s because you are a possessive man.” She said tracing the trail of hickeys he left on her inner thighs. It was a very alluring sight and her body instantly felt hot just remembering how they got there. She still couldn’t believe she sat on… no, no, no, better not think about it. She vowed not to listen to Narcissa and her Black ways anymore. She looked up and her eyes locked on his, the eyes from his blurry form. With his handsome face, smug smirk and sparkling eyes as if he was also reminiscing that particular memory. 

“You are mine, Iolanthe. My Wife. I can be possessive all I want and only I have the right to leave marks on your body.” Iolanthe swooned and felt extremely giddy hearing him say that. She guessed a normal woman wouldn’t appreciate his words but well, she wasn’t a normal woman so she was enchanted. 

While cooking, Iolanthe happily hummed an unknown song. Reborn sat on one of the chairs at the island table reading the newspapers he wasn’t able to read in the morning, also in a good mood. Petal and Mimi, stood by the side whispering to each other while furtively glancing at their Master and Mistress. They knew their Master was cursed to have a small body but they had seen him with a tall body too. Neither knew what the standard of beauty with humans was but according to Mimi, their Masters were very effusive with each other. The bedsheets proved it!

Looking at the small body of their Master, they never thought something would happen but who would have guessed that didn’t hinder either of them to be effusive again. Mimi even went with Mitty to ask what she could do in those situations. Mitty patiently explained that if they did more than kissing, then she should just pop out without interrupting them. Toty happened to pass by during their conversation and advised Mimi that even if they were kissing, she should just leave as their Masters get carried away even while kissing. 

And so they and the rest of nosy House-elves started to discuss what they should do in that situation if they were ever presented with it. 

After they were done discussing, Mimi went back to the Potter’s Ancestral Home to relay the decisions made to Petal and Dew. Their decision: Abandon ship and leave their Masters to their own devices unless they were called. Even the sly Docky felt respect for his Master to tackle on his Mistress even with such a difference in height. And so, the gossiping House-elves made decisions based on their misunderstandings. 

The objects of their gossip were looking with amused expressions at the sleepy Farid eating her dinner. She had woken up from her nap moments before dinner was served and she was still groggy, slowly chewing and sometimes even forgetting to put the food she had scooped into her mouth. She picked up her pace when she was more awake constantly being reminded by Iolanthe not to rush as she was the last to finish eating. 

Iolanthe had planned for a walk after eating but the night got really cold and with Farid falling into the stream early in the afternoon, she didn’t want to risk her catching a cold or even the flu or something worse. So, the Family spent their time playing with Farid. Taken by the fact her Mom owned a castle -which she couldn’t understand the part Reborn said it wasn’t an actual castle but a mansion/castle-, she applied the puppy… uh, the hatchling eyes and convinced her parents to act a play. Not even the House-elves were saved.

…

“Impudence! How dare you lay a hand upon my daughter! Send him to the dungeons!” Exclaimed Iolanthe sat on her throne and pointing at Petal who was acting as some Prince from far away trying to court Princess Farid. Petal was dragged by Mimi towards the ‘dungeons’. Thanks to nifty transfiguration spells, the Family room had become a throne room where the Queen and Princess were… drinking tea. It had to be said that they were very ostentatious ladies clad in their huge dresses and wearing all kind of jewelry on them. That’s why Princes from all over the neighboring kingdoms wanted to court the Princess, for the money.

Reborn and Iolanthe cringed at the plot but they couldn’t say no to their darling daughter. 

_**“Mom, is there a Prince out there for me?”**_ The sighing Princess asked.

 _ **“Princes are useless, all they know is to have fun and spend money.”**_ Said the stingy Queen. 

“Your Majesty, there’s bes another Prince from Mafia Kingdom at the door.” Dew announced.

“Mafia Kingdom? I have never heard of it. Let him in!” Ordered the Queen.

In came a small Prince donned in black armor which clattered with each step he took. Contrary to all the Princes that had arrived -which was only Petal playing countless Princes-, the new one looked more imposing and stronger. He didn’t have that greedy look in his eyes when he looked at the jewelry the Queen and Princess were wearing and more importantly, he didn’t look like a pauper, so he wouldn’t ask for money from the stingy Queen. 

“Your Majesty! Your Highness!” He called out kneeling in front of the Queen and Princess. The Queen inwardly approved of his good manners.

“Rise! Tell us your name and why you came here.” The Queen haughtily commanded. 

The Prince’s eyes flashed but he still said. “This humble one is called Reborn. I came from Mafia Kingdom to ask for Marriage.”

“Marriage?” The Queen’s expression became colder. “Do you think you are worthy of my daughter?”

“No, Your Majesty…” The Prince replied.

“That’s right!” The Queen imperiously cut him off standing up with poise towering on the small Prince. “Nobody is worthy of my precious daughter. But, I will give you a chance to prove yourself before her. The first test, you need to understand what she says.” And so the Queen gestured for her daughter to step forward. 

_**“Sissee saw seven sunsets and seven sailing ships by the shore on September the second since she started strolling on the summer.”**_ The Princess’ words made no sense whatsoever yet her sibilant words said really fast made it hard for the Prince to understand even one bit. 

Caught unprepared, the Prince fumbled and finally took out a chameleon. “Leon will tell you what she said.” The chameleon opened its mouth but no words came out. The Queen raised an eyebrow not impressed by the Prince’s attempt and was about to throw him out yet her daughter was quicker and reached for the chameleon, totally enraptured by it. You have been nobly sacrificed, my friend, the Prince thought.

“I will let that pass.” The Queen sneered. “Now, onto your second test. You will fight the dragon!” As soon as the Queen said that, from behind her throne a head rose showing it was Sissee, the Basilisk, who was also roped into the play. Thankfully, she had her eyes closed; yet she still look threatening enough. 

“You’ve got to be fu-” The Prince got an ice cold glare from the Queen halting his curse. He had no idea he had to fight a dragon.. uh, basilisk. Nonetheless, he still composed himself and took out a sword. “Prepare to meet your doom!” 

And so the Prince and the Basilisk fought. Sissee was bribed with two more rabbits apart from its diet of five so she fought with heart making the Prince sweat just to dodge the quick attacks with his heavy armor. Still, he was very fast and hit the big snake many times finally making it fall. Sissee stayed sprawled on the floor acting dead. The Princess stood up and ran towards the big snake hugging and calling for it. 

“You have killed the Imperial Tutor! Send him to the dungeons!” The Queen proclaimed sealing the Prince’s fate.

Yet he resisted the arrest. “Your Majesty! Please hear me out! I didn’t come to marry your daughter but you!” That halted Mimi, who was playing well her role of dragging people to the dungeon. The Queen also stood there, stunned.

“Say what now?” The poor Queen was so flabbergasted that she even dropped her role. She had no idea it was going to turn out like that. She heard the hissy laugh of her daughter and inwardly groaned knowing she had been played by her and Reborn.

“You are the most beautiful woman my eyes have ever seen. Your splendor, your haughtiness, the way you glare and your voice makes me want to be your servant for all eternity! I will abandon my Kingdom just to be with you, my Queen! Please marry me!” The small Prince declared with a loud voice greatly flustering the Queen. The Princess was looking at the scene with mirth in her eyes and the other servants -Dew and Mimi- were waiting for a good show to gossip to the other House-elves about. 

“No.” The Queen finally composed herself and instantly rejected the Prince. 

“Is it because I am small? Fret not my Queen, even if I am small, I have great ability!” 

The Prince’s shameless words resounded again finally melting the Queen’s heart and accepting him if only to shut him up before he came up with more shamelessness. The Queen and the small Prince married. However, it resulted that the Prince was like all the other Princes who only knew how to have fun and spend money. He still proved his ability was nothing to scoff at and left the Queen pregnant. The Princess was happy for her Mom and was looking forward to her new sibling. 

The end.

…

After tucking Farid in bed, Iolanthe and Reborn made their way up to the Master Bedroom. Iolanthe heavily exhaled taking off the tiring dress leaving her in only her underwear.

“How did you make such a huge dress?” Reborn asked eyeing the opulent dress on the floor. 

“Mimi made it. It is not that elaborate; all the charms will disappear by tomorrow and the dress will return to normal.” Iolanthe replied from inside the walk-in closet where she put the jewelry she had used with Farid. 

“It seems Mimi was very into the play. She also made my armor.” Reborn commented taking off his helmet freeing his unruly hair. Then, they both went to the bathroom to take care of their night ablutions before getting comfortable in bed. “These plays could be very beneficial for Farid. She can act any role making her a good spy.” He suddenly said, his head perfectly ensconced between her mounds. 

Iolanthe didn’t want to hear about her daughter growing to work into something dangerous so she shushed her Husband with a well-placed kiss. “Goodnight, my love.”

“Goodnight to you too, my Queen.” He replied making Iolanthe chuckle. 

Even if Iolanthe didn’t want to, the schedule of studying in the morning, training in the afternoon and role playing at night was how Farid spent her days unless either Iolanthe or Reborn weren’t at Home, then it would change to other activities.


	37. Meetings and plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reborn and Iolanthe attend an auction where they show what it means being Lord and Lady Potter.
> 
> Plans are made before the Wizengamot session.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remember when I was writing this chapter, it took me a week.... The reason: I spent my time on youtube. LOL. 
> 
> I couldn't say 'just one more' and leave it at that. So, I learned to never get into youtube while writing chapters...
> 
> More like, I don't even know how I ended up there xD
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!

* * *

 

 

November 10th, evening. 

“Are you sure you are going to wear that?” Draco critically eyed Iolanthe’s burgundy suit that perfectly hugged her figure. It was a nice suit -he chose it obviously-, but he didn’t consider it proper considering she was meeting someone for the first time and by invitation. Well, as the one with more power, she could choose what she wanted to wear and if the others dressed better than her then they would be pointed at for trying to up Lady Potter.

It was a nice tactic when used against enemies or people one simply didn’t get along with. Yet for first impressions and making the host commit a faux pas from the get go would only create enemies for Iolanthe. 

“It’s ok. We are going to an auction, not a ball or any other important social event. People won’t actually see me so it’s just Edward Burke being humiliated in private.” Iolanthe said in a dismissive way buttoning up her black frock to then put on a pair of leather gloves. 

Reborn was wearing the matching suit which had more black than red but still had the same design as the one from Iolanthe, just for men. Even their shoes matched. 

They had arrived at Twelve Grimmauld Place in the afternoon to wait for the babysitters for the night, Draco and Astoria. Once they were there, Iolanthe began explaining what they needed to do to take care of Farid. Actually, with how they spent days with the girl while on a ship, they were aware of her cares. It was the new schedule Farid was following that needed to be explained, more than anything the role play thing they do after dinner. 

Draco and Astoria were impressed at the level of commitment Iolanthe and Reborn showed towards Farid. In most Families, it was either the Father or the Mother that dedicated some time to their kid to play; however, to act, with scenery, props and all, they considered that a high level in parenting. Draco wasn’t sure he would do all that to connect with a child of his while Astoria was considering implementing that method for when they had their own kid. 

“Mimi knows the play for today, so if you have any questions, ask her.” Reborn added seeing the complicated expressions on Draco and Astoria. “It’s nothing hard. She learned about Greek gods and goddesses after Iolanthe severely digressed when teaching her about Basilisks. So, she is enacting Medusa’s story tonight. The props are real snakes that will crawl into the head of whoever turns out to be Medusa. It’s all up to luck.” He wasn’t lying with that one and he also didn’t need to ruin the surprise but he was enjoying their constipated faces so he couldn’t help himself.

The day before he became Amata, one of the three witches from the tale ‘The Fountain of Fair Fortune’ who wanted to relieve her grief of being alone and longing for a man. That was all luck when they raffled the characters. So he became a needy woman. It was entertaining at the end and he somehow became Mimi’s lover, who played as the knight, much to Iolanthe and Farid’s unholy amusement. In his book, playing Medusa was considered mild; it’s just having snakes in your hair.

Done toying with Draco and Astoria, it was time to leave for the auction. Luckily, the place they were going had Floo connection so they weren’t going to arrive late. The problem was Iolanthe who tripped and almost fell face-first if it wasn’t for Reborn stopping her fall. The Arcobaleno was mystified at seeing such an amazing dueler and fighter always trip with a mere Floo travel. Even Iolanthe herself had no idea why it was so and that is why she hated the Floo. 

The Auction Hall was located in the new Perpendicular Alley which catered mostly to Lord or Ladies or anyone who could afford the goods in the stores or eat in the restaurant. Perpendicular Alley was not an alley, per se, it was a big square with its cobblestone paths, a fountain in the middle and the stores around. You couldn’t actually lose your way in Perpendicular Alley. The Auction Hall was the second biggest building -Fairy’s Powder, the only restaurant there being the first- so it was very eye-catching.

The popularity of Perpendicular Alley, apart from having first-class goods, was the fact that all the buildings were big enough to have a room specifically dedicated to fireplaces connected to the Floo.   
Of course those rooms had all the necessary Wards to procure the safety of the patrons in case of robbery or the like. 

Coming out of the Floo, both Iolanthe and Reborn were received by Edward Burke who had an obsequious smile even if his eyes showed displeasure. Not a well-bred Pureblood, Iolanthe thought. Either way, with her Lady Persona in full motion, she measuredly made her way towards the man. Edward Burke was not a looker though he was still pleasant to look at. His clothes were very refined and his posture betrayed the fact he was from high society, even if the Burke House was only Ancient and Noble; title it got from the marriage of Belvina Black and Herbert Burke making the Burkes benefit from that union. 

“Lady Potter, a pleasure meeting you.” Lord Burke greeted reaching for her hand in a gallant gesture with the goal of taking it to his mouth but not actually kissing it since he was wearing gloves. However, he had to stop himself feeling the intense glare from the toddler standing beside Iolanthe.

“Ah, this must Lord Potter.”

Ignoring that bit of condescension she heard from Burke’s tone, Iolanthe spoke. “Thanks for inviting us to such an event, Lord Burke. It takes us out of our busy schedule to have some fun.” 

Burke’s brow twitched not missing the veiled mocking words. Meaning, they were busy with their Lord and Lady duties while he just knew how to have fun. Taking a deep breath, he continued smiling. “Please follow me. I have a room booked with the best service in the place.” He flaunted totally ignoring Lord Potter.

“Oh, you really know how to enjoy life, Lord Burke.” Iolanthe quipped enjoying the minute scowl on the man’s face. She knew her Husband didn’t mind being ignored or even offended with petty Lord gestures but she also wouldn’t be acting as a good Wife if she let it freely happen. So, she didn’t mind calling Burke a useless, rich boy.

The room Burked booked was really the epitome of comfortableness. The armchairs and couches were the softest Iolanthe had ever tried. There was a variety of pots of tea served with assorted pastries in the middle table. It had a pleasant aroma of flowers and was well-illuminated; not too jarring and not too dim. There were four men and one woman already seated but the moment she entered, everybody stood up. That was the perk of being Duchess Peverell. 

Out of the five people, she easily recognized one. “Neville! What a surprise!” Though she shouldn’t be. 

Glancing at the other people around, she identified Hannah Abbott, Heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Abbott, that troll of Marcus Flint who possesses a high position in the Ministry, Henrik Fawley who thanks to his generous business and almost monopoly of writing implements like parchment, ink and quills in Britain, would soon make the House of Fawley upgrade to Most Ancient and Noble. Then there was an unknown man Iolanthe barely recognized as the person who provided the Brazilian brooms. 

With such impressive personages it wasn’t hard to guess Edward Burke was trying to build up his connections after the disastrous trials after war which sent several members of his House to Azkaban found guilty of supporting the Dark Lord Voldemort. And his major leap would come from business partners and including a couple of Most Ancient and Noble Houses like the Longbottom, Potter and Black House. Alright, it was a casual meeting of sorts so her choice of dressing was fine. 

“Iolanthe, it’s very nice to see you.” With his shyness gone and having become quite handsome, Neville had no qualms in giving Iolanthe a short hug. 

“Look at you, looking all proper like a teacher.” Iolanthe teased eyeing his prim suit and well-polished shoes. “I will need your help in a project I have. Expect my owl soon.” She ended her greeting patting his shoulder. 

“Lady Potter.” Hannah Abbott stepped forward and greeted with a courtesy. The Abbotts were all well-placed in the Ministry and even had a sizable fortune to sponsor the Ballycastle Bats Quidditch Team. It was said that they had a share in the company that made the Nimbus brooms. Hannah used to belong to the D.A but Iolanthe never struck a relationship with her beyond being her unofficial tutor back then hence the need to be formal. 

“Heir Abbott, it’s been a while.” Iolanthe returned with a polite smile.

“Well, well, Potter, we meet again.” That unpleasant voice from Marcus came from the side. He didn’t greet her like the others and Iolanthe didn’t mind. She still had leverage on him so as long as he didn’t offend her, then she was fine with anything he said. 

“Draco wants to meet you on the 15th. He said he’s sending you an owl with more details about the matter.” Iolanthe curtly said. That was their code they decided upon so the public wouldn’t discover she was making secret deals with Ministry workers. What she was doing was not exactly ethical but she never cared about rules. If she wanted to see progress in the stagnated Wizarding Community she would do anything necessary for it. Getting into the mess that was the Wizengamot was just for the public eye. 

Flint’s eyes glinted and he nodded. There were no other words he could further say. 

_“Such an exquisite woman. Such poise, such elegance and what a nice body. My trip to England wasn’t wasted at meeting such a marvel. What I wouldn’t give to have her-”_

_“I wouldn’t continue if I were you.”_ A childish yet cold voice interrupted the spiel the Brazilian man was spouting. The man thought he would get away with no one knowing Portuguese around him to say such indecent words never directed to a Lady, much less when the Lady was present. The man turned to look at the ignored toddler standing beside Iolanthe who was glaring daggers at him. The man blinked confused and was enlightened as to the toddler’s identity thanks to Henrik Fawley.

“This must be Lord Potter, very nice to meet you. Henrik Fawley, at your service.” Fawley greeted with a handshake much like the businessman he was instead of Lord of a soon Most Ancient and Noble House. Henrik Fawley was a promising man, very clever and with a good eye for business. His only fault was that he was raised to believe that men were better than women. The Fawley House put more importance to boys than girls that’s why Henrik Fawley naturally ignored Iolanthe and directly greeted Reborn. 

What he did could be considered normal if it was another Family. Unfortunately and due to the constant speculations of Lord Potter being a Muggle due to his lack of Wand, his standing in the high society Magical circles was extremely low and all those old Lords and Ladies only recognized Iolanthe as a proper Lady. But nobody said anything in the room. Neville couldn’t be the brightest but he could see the uncaring attitude of both Iolanthe and her Husband. Flint couldn’t say anything because his career depended on Iolanthe. Hannah couldn’t speak up for a stranger. Burke was delighted to see Lady Potter being mocked after her words and the Brazilian man was just silently eyeing the toddler from head to toe. 

“Everybody, this is my Husband, you may call him Lord Potter.” Iolanthe simply said taking off her gloves and frock, placing them on the nearest loveseat she found. No name, no endorsement, no nothing. 

There was a very inconspicuous article published recently about the curious disappearance of Lord Potter’s name. When the news of Iolanthe Potter’s marriage saw the light, his name was dug out and published yet past November 1st, nobody knew what his name was anymore. 

The Quibbler posted a conspiracy that an Umgubular Slashkilter stole Lord Potter’s name and since then it was going around the country with its new identity. A spell was even printed to help people avoid having their own identities stolen. Of course, those who thought more about the matter could guess that a Fidelius Charm was used on his name; they were only left with the question as to why Lord Potter decided to hide his name. 

_“Watch what you say about my Wife from now on.”_ Reborn threatened the Brazilian man not trying one bit to cover his killing intent which left all the people around on tenterhooks, not knowing what to do. 

“There is no need to threaten people, my dear. We are here to have some fun and hopefully spend some money thanks to Lord Burke.” Iolanthe broke the silence and Burke’s stupor making him act like the Host he was. 

“This is Fabio Silva. The man responsible for bringing those amazing brooms into our market.” Burke presented making Iolanthe secretly sneered at him. Flint also did the same. It was obvious Burke was going into his sycophantic ways not caring about offending one of the persons responsible for such an exchange. Even Fawley paused knowing very well that if it wasn’t for Flint creating that method of transporting goods then that business venue wouldn’t have opened. Fawley praised the method to high and above and instantly applied it to his own business.

Though looking at Silva’s pleased expression then it all made sense to the people around. The man was self-important enough to attribute all the credit to himself and Burke was just fanning the flames of his ego. Burke continued his round of presentations and then everybody sat again with Iolanthe taking a nice spot that provided a good view of the people entering the main area below. There were lots of people, most of them businessmen and even the sporadic Lord or Lady. 

There were also catalogues with the names of the items being auctioned that day. Most of it were antiques with the rare exotic legal Creatures and herbs, which delighted Neville to no end. There was a miscellaneous tab with all kind of items like a rare bolt of fabric imported from China, the sting of a Manticore, the shell of an Occamy, and even a quill made from a Phoenix feather. Iolanthe flipped through the catalogue until she reached the very end where the items became properties and instead of being auctioned, they were being sold. 

An Auction Hall had connections everywhere to acquire its myriad of goods; it even had connections with Muggle Banks and Real States that’s why it was not a surprise that boxes of fine gems and even Houses were being auctioned or sold. 

Not interested in anything, Iolanthe was about to close the catalogue until a small hand stopped her. “Let’s buy this one.” Reborn suddenly said. 

“A horse ranch?” Iolanthe took a look at where he was pointing. Their exchange earned the attention of the other occupants of the room. 

“Lord Potter is interested in raising horses? I know someone who breeds and sells Abraxans, I might introduced the person to you.” Interjected Fawley sniffing a good opportunity to make business. 

“Not me, my student.” Reborn explained shaking his head. Even if Fawley was rude to ignore Iolanthe, there was no need to give the man the evil eye, not yet. 

That statement opened a new window of conversation. “Lord Potter is a teacher? What do you teach?” Asked Neville enthusiastically, finding a fellow teacher in their midst. 

“How to kill and not to be killed.” Reborn replied successfully closing that window of conversation, leaving a silent room. Of course they took his words with a healthy amount of salt and thought Lord Potter was joking and didn’t want to disclose his job, much like how Unspeakables couldn’t actually disclose the subject of their investigation. Only Iolanthe hid her smile behind her cup. Reborn was honest with his answer yet nobody believed him. It really was fun to mess with people. 

Iolanthe knew about Dino’s situation with all his houses being taken away by the bank and put on sale. She just never expected to find one of his properties in a Magical Auction Hall. “Check out if the others are there.” She prompted which made Reborn carefully check the list of properties. 

“All of them are here except the one in Norway. It has most likely already been sold.” Reborn remarked. 

“So, how many houses are there?” She asked.

“Five, three in Italy, the one in Greece and the other one in Portugal.” Reborn relayed checking out the prices. “If we include the horse ranch then that makes it around two million one hundred thousand galleons.” 

Everybody around sharply inhaled at the amount. Not even the businessman Fawley had that many galleons in his vaults and openly dabbed the sweat that had formed on his forehead. They all turned to look at Iolanthe who had a furrowed brow and they all thought that not even her had that huge amount of galleons. Though, they all almost fainted when they heard her words.

“Bloodfang will surely scold me if I take out that amount. That’s basically all the Potter fortune.” Thanks to various innovative potions created and patented, and the shares the Potters had, they had been accumulating galleons upon galleons which were rarely spent because the Family was never numerous. Iolanthe herself, barely spent money in her six years of education, so the fortune easily surpassed the two million galleons. 

And that was just the Potter fortune. There was no need to mention the Black vaults.

“It’s a mere investment. Make Dino pay you back.” Reborn suggested. Iolanthe was aware the situation Dino was in and she didn’t want to add another debt to his back so she hesitated. Glancing around at the shocked people around them, her eyes stopped at the gaping Henrik Fawley. 

“Lord Fawley, you mentioned you knew someone who raises Abraxans. Would you be so kind to present that person to me?” She suddenly requested jolting Fawley back to awareness. 

“This…” Fawley trailed off looking at Reborn who feigned ignorance as if the matter wasn’t related to him. 

“Alright, it seems Lord Fawley doesn’t want to do business with me.” Iolanthe nodded with a smile. She straightforwardly said ‘me’ hinting it was a personal business but everybody else knew that Iolanthe represented the Potter and Black Houses plus the Peverell Ducal, so not wanting to do business with her was the same as saying not wanting to do business with any of the three Houses. She didn’t care what her words implied and simply turned to her Husband. “Bloodfang won’t scold me if I say I want to invest in a horse ranch. That will bring some income to me and create an income for Dino if he uses it to breed horses and have a secret Magical breeding business going on too. I will contact Fleur and ask her if she knows someone in France who raises Abraxans. I heard it’s very popular in France. What do you think?” 

Reborn glanced at Fawley with an expression as if the latter hadn’t met the former’s expectations. “We’ll do as you say. Stupid-Dino better start working to pay his debts.” Reborn’s evil smirk returned to his face.

“Lord Burke, how do we go about contacting the personnel here to buy properties?” Iolanthe asked to the dazed Edward Burke.

“Ah? Oh, yeah, cough, allow me.” Saying so, Burke tapped the table in a certain pattern and seconds later there was someone knocking at the door. “Come in.” Burke commanded.

“Is there anything we can help you with, Lord Burke?” The attendant asked with an amiable smile on his face. 

“Lady Potter needs help buying some properties.” Burke gestured towards Iolanthe. The attendant’s smile became a tad bit wider as he heard ‘Lady Potter’ and ‘buying properties’. He had always wanted to meet Iolanthe Potter.

“Lady Potter, a very nice pleasure to meet you.” The attendant disregarded the place he was in and perhaps even his life when he grabbed Iolanthe’s hand and daintily kissed her knuckles. A weird pause fell in the room. “Wha-UGH!” The attendant flew across the room and heavily hit the wall to then lay sprawled on the floor, not moving. 

“Such filthy lips desecrating my Wife.” Reborn hmphed coldly while cleaning Iolanthe’s hand. 

Iolanthe sighed and tapped the same pattern Burke did on the table. Seconds later another person was knocking on the door to then enter after being prompted. “Take your co-worker to St. Mungo’s and send another person who can professionally sell me some properties.” She said not letting the new attendant speak. 

Said attendant paled seeing a body sprawled on the floor and didn’t waste time in taking him out of the room. Minutes later a stern old man entered the room, scanned it but didn’t show any expression. “I heard someone wants to buy some properties.” He expressed with a placid voice, not arrogant but not humble either. 

“Five Houses and a horse ranch.” Iolanthe replied. The man nodded and approached her to begin the process. The other occupants waited with bated breath for the transaction to finish. They had been scared silly when Lord Potter had kicked that attendant just for greeting Lady Potter. If that was not being unreasonable and possessive, then they didn’t know what it was. One thing for sure was, never touch Iolanthe Potter in front of her Husband. 

“Oh, that House in Greece has already been sold.” The old man informed making the others tense for some reason and they closely looked at Lord Potter. 

“No matter, four houses and the horse ranch are enough.” Reborn dismissed. He was just doing a favor to Dino because he was his student, one house less was of no consequence. 

“I’ll bring the deeds right away.” The attendant walked out of the room and quickly returned with the deeds to close the deal. Iolanthe took out a check book and writing the appropriate quantity for the houses and house ranch plus her name and a stamp seal, she gave the slip to the attendant after Reborn had made sure everything was in order with the deeds. And like that, Iolanthe spent close to two million galleons.

The others in the room spent a good while in a daze after the procedure wondering when they would be this tyrant while buying stuff. Not even the Brazilian guy who was the co-creator of the Brazilian brooms in the market was like Iolanthe. 

“Oh!” Iolanthe suddenly exclaimed making the others look at her with fear. Was she going to spend more? “We can use this as Dino’s gift for graduating! What do you think?” She asked her Husband.

“It’s fine. He surely will be happy.” Reborn absentmindedly replied while eating. 

Their audience sighed relieved when they heard Iolanthe Potter wasn’t going to buy anything else. Though they still amazed just knowing those houses were a gift for Lord Potter’s student. They wondered if they could become his students just to receive a gift as lavish as what this Dino guy would receive. Throughout the whole process the only one who didn’t show that big of a reaction was Neville. Being involved with Iolanthe was an adventure in itself so, even if he didn’t personally know Lord Potter, he guessed the man would be a personage too. After some pondering he even started to believe that Lord Potter really taught how to kill. 

Anyway, that was not for him to comment about. He only carefully read what type of plants they were auctioning and he could afford. 

After that maximum expression of wealth performed by Iolanthe, nobody in the room dared to outdone her and the items they bid for were mere trinkets compared to what she acquired. Fawley learned that Lady Potter had the final say with how the money was managed while Lord Potter advised on the side. He truly regretted not doing business with her. Flint just kept thinking what else would Iolanthe make him do in the Ministry while Burke was plotting how to get closer to Iolanthe Potter without earning the rage from one Lord Potter who seemed to take care of his Wife like a hawk eyeing its prey. 

And those hawk eyes would glance at poor Fabio Silva from time to time making the man sweat in nervousness. 

Iolanthe soon lost interest in all this auction thing. As someone who seldom went out to buy things, she was very efficient when she went shopping and never stayed more time than necessary out. But her Husband seemed very interested in all the excitement so she refrained from voicing her boredom and moved towards Neville who was bidding for some plant. The others looked closely at her actions and startled when they saw her sitting next to Lord Longbottom and instantly turned to look at Lord Potter. But he was very focused in the auction to pay attention to what she was doing. 

“What are you bidding for?” Iolanthe asked Neville.

“A rare plant that claims to change color and form according to a person’s mood or state.” Neville excitedly replied.

“How’s it going? Need any help?” She asked in return seeing his enthusiasm to acquire such plant.

“Oh, no need. For now it is very cheap and there don’t seem to be many Herbology enthusiast so I am confident to get it.” He said tapping the table in the pattern to bid for something. 

Iolanthe waited for a moment until the plant ended up in Neville’s hands as he said. They had to wait another moment for the plant to arrive to their room and the money to be collected. The thing even brought a booklet depicting all the possible colors and shapes the plant could turn into. Iolanthe was the fortunate volunteer to hold the plant while it changed color and turned into a type of flower. Soon, the room was enveloped in the sour but somewhat sweet smell of oranges. 

Neville checked the booklet to see what the plant was trying to tell them. 

“Found it! Let’s see… oh.” He paused and reread the description. An orange blossom was not common to give as a flower but people who cultivates oranges also saw the beauty in it and gave it a meaning. Their pure white color meant innocence while the fact that it was also seen when the tree gave its fruits meant that there was a result of the sowing; in which case it referred to pregnancy. “I… it’s best if you read it.” Neville shyly said passing the booklet to Iolanthe.

She quickly read it, glanced at the plant and laughed. “So, Neville, what are you going to do with this information?” She teased her friend.

Neville furtively glanced at Lord Potter and almost felt his soul leaving his body noticing he was looking back. Going through war had baptized him with the flames of bravery and bloodshed, yet there was something about Lord Potter that rendered him uneasy and reminded him of his years at Hogwarts when he was a loser. 

“What can I do, Iolanthe? Your Husband is looking at me as if I’m already six feet under.” Neville nervously replied in a low voice. 

Iolanthe turned to look at Reborn and then at Neville. “Don’t be ridiculous, Neville. He’s just looking at us in curiosity.” Neville wanted to laugh but Iolanthe’s words made him swallow it. “Come here, Husband. I believe you haven’t met Neville, yet.”

All the others who were waiting for something to happen between the interaction of Lady Potter and Lord Longbottom regarded the latter with pity and inwardly wished him luck seeing the small but intimidating Lord Potter making his way towards them. Unluckily for them, the moment Lord Potter sat beside Lady Potter, a Privacy Ward was erected and they could not hear what the three were talking about. 

“Ciaossu, I’m Reborn.” The Arcobaleno presented himself. 

“Uh, hi, I’m Neville.” Poor Neville tried to be nonchalant but he still stuttered in his presentation.

“Look here, Husband. This plant can tell I am pregnant.” Iolanthe saved his friend from any awkward moment and turned Reborn’s attention towards the plant. 

“What type of plant is this?” Reborn asked grabbing the pot. The plant instantly turned into a different type of flower. This one even bigger than the orange blossom with flowers upon flowers on a single stalk. 

“Let me look it up!” Iolanthe exclaimed flipping through the booklet. What she read made her very happy even if she didn’t know why the flowers kept changing from yellow to grey. 

After that, Neville was subjected to painful ten minutes of teasing and flirting between Iolanthe and her Husband just from a stalk of stock flower. Though he was able to see that Lord Potter wasn’t that frightening as before. And maybe he was imagining it but the small man seemed to shine when talking to Iolanthe. It was weird, but as someone who needed to pay close attention to the light shining upon plants he was very susceptible to it. Lord Potter, in Neville’s humble opinion, shone with Iolanthe.

Done with their shameless flirting, Neville finally made himself known to their world and began to explain his theories about how that plant was created; it was obvious the thing was man-made and not naturally born. Seeing his expertise in Herbology, Reborn began to ask about his ever favorite Magical plants: the Devil’s Snare and the Whomping Willow. At that moment, Neville became the most talkative person on Earth and Reborn finally was aware why Iolanthe wanted to include him in the Peverell Castle project. 

Between questions and talking, the auction was finally done almost at midnight. Iolanthe jumped in fright seeing the time and wanted to fly out of the room to check on her daughter yet Reborn successfully stopped her to see the tedious etiquette to bid farewell to her companions on that outing. Reborn knew they wouldn’t find Farid awake even if they rushed so he wasn’t as anxious as Iolanthe. The others had calmed down by the end of the night. Apart from Fabio Silva being glared at and that attendant who was kicked, Lord Potter behaved normally. 

The mystery of the name wasn’t resolved and they were still skeptical if Lord Potter truly taught how to kill. 

The following morning Farid found Iolanthe and Reborn in the kitchen; the first was busy writing letters and the second one was making breakfast.

_**“Good morning, dear. You slept well?”**_ Greeted Iolanthe as she put her quill down.

Farid nodded but couldn’t keep her eyes off the small figure busying himself cutting stuff at great speed. _**“Good morning.”**_

_**“Daddy has decided to make breakfast to make up for not role playing with you yesterday. Mommy is just taking advantage of it.”**_ Iolanthe said very amused at Farid’s reaction seeing Reborn cooking. 

“Mommy took me to a date yesterday so I must repay her.” Reborn said pausing in his cutting. 

Iolanthe chuckled at his words and translated to Farid since there were many words she still hadn’t learned either from hearing English or from Reborn’s sign language; to which he was still adding more signs. Farid giggled hearing Iolanthe’s explanation to then turn pensive seeing the relationship her Mom and Dad had. The first time she met them, her Dad was a small man but they still looked very close. Then when Dad turned tall, they looked very cute with their affectionate gestures. So now, that her Dad was back to being small she found it a bit sad. Mostly for her Mom who seemed to really like her Dad. 

Then, she wondered another matter and her subsequent question almost caused Reborn to fall down the stool he was using to cook. 

_**“Mom, when will I have someone like Dad?”**_ Iolanthe’s quill went askew and she quickly glanced at Reborn who hadn’t stopped cooking but she could notice his gloominess.

_**“What do you mean, Farid?”**_ Iolanthe decided to feign ignorance and nonchalantly asked putting her quill and letter aside; it was ruined anyway.

_**“Like Dad… like how you two are, holding hands, hugging and… kissing.”**_ Farid asked her voice going lower as she became very shy.

Iolanthe wanted to coo at her for being really cute but her Husband looked as if he wanted to kill breakfast so she decided to be realistic in answering her daughter’s query. _**“What Dad and I have is a very serious commitment, dear. We don’t only hold hands, hug and kiss; we take care of each other, we talk to each other, we sometimes fight and then make up, we try hard to solve our differences -and believe me we are so different. There are many things involved in a relationship that require time, feelings, patience, you name it. That’s why, Farid, dear, it’s best if you first know yourself better and get to know a lot of people so you understand that it’s not easy to closely coexist with someone. Is it clear?”**_

Farid was putting an extra effort into assimilating what her Mom had just said with a scrunched up brow. _**“Kind of.”**_ She finally replied obviously not totally getting it.

Iolanthe smiled at her sincerity. _**“Don’t worry about that. As you grow up, you will understand more.”**_ Actually, Iolanthe herself was learning so she hoped she was doing her explanation right. 

Reborn arrived at that moment with breakfast. “Mascarpone-Mushroom Frittata Stack for my ladies.” He announced cheerfully as if he hadn’t been oozing bloodlust while cooking and hearing their conversation. 

_**“Dad, what did you think of Mom when you first saw her?”**_ Farid suddenly asked intently looking at Reborn. Iolanthe also got curious and stared at her Husband.

“Well, as small as I am, there was only one thing I could think of her: she has nice legs.” Reborn shamelessly confessed because that’s truly the first thing he thought of her when a breeze lifted her skirt. Farid giggled at his words as Iolanthe shook her head but there was still a smile on her face.

The Family of three decided to stay in Grimmauld to wait for the 15th and have that meeting to talk about Wizengamot matters and for Iolanthe to reveal her plan for the Peverell Castle. Draco and Astoria also decided to stay though they spent most of their time out. They still marveled at all the different type of role plays they acted together with Iolanthe, Reborn and Farid. More than anything, it was lovely seeing the girl having fun dressing up and be really good at playing all kind of people. It was a relief she hadn’t lost all her innocence back in India. 

November 15th, morning.

Donned in a long, lace sleeved and off the shoulders black dress, Iolanthe sat in front of the dressing table seeing Reborn brush her hair. When he was done, she started to braid it like a diadem to then tie the back in a ponytail and give it a few twists so it would look like a loose bun. It wasn’t that elaborate but it looked very elegant together with the radiant ruby hairpins she put in it. That reminded Reborn of Luna’s gift; he had checked it out and found the process a bit difficult yet not impossible.

If he got things his way, then he would probably do her hair and Farid’s soon. 

Though seeing Iolanthe so elegant made him wondered if it really was necessary for just a meeting. “No matter how tedious, it must be done, Renato.” Iolanthe commented seeing his dubious face. “If it was only between Draco, Luna and Astoria then I would be wearing shorts and flip flops. But we are meeting with people who are not that close to us so we need to see the appropriate etiquette deserving of a Lord, Lady or Heir.” She explained. She had also forced him to wear a more distinguished suit and was left without a fedora, showing his spiky, unruly hair. “Mimi.” She called out.

“Yes, mistress?” The shy House-elf stood on attention awaiting for Iolanthe’s words.

“Everything has been arranged?” Iolanthe asked applying some make-up she rarely used but still knew how to from the lessons she got from Astoria. 

“Yes, Mistress. Mimi has arranged the room as Mistress bes commanding.” Mimi dutifully relayed. She had transformed the sunroom into a meeting room by placing a big table and several chairs around it. Plus, together with Petal and Dew, they had converted a corner in the library into a comfortable study for Farid to meditate while chanting the words necessary for the Animagus transformation she had started on the 12th. 

They had thought it would be hard for the girl to keep the leaf in her mouth but so far she had done an amazing job and Iolanthe had ordered Petal and Dew to transform the pavilion in the greenhouse back in the Potter Home into a resting place where Farid could spend her time relaxing and doing her chanting. 

“Well done, Mimi.” Iolanthe praised standing up and heading downwards, Husband and House-elf following behind her. “The tea was also prepared, right?” It was after breakfast time so tea and pastries would be served. 

“It’s bes prepared and other beverages too.” Mimi said earning more praises from Iolanthe. 

The three made their way towards the parlour to wait for their guests coming from the Floo Iolanthe had opened for them. Generally, one first needed to be included in the new Wards she had put in Grimmauld to be able to Floo in but there were always exceptions made just like what she had done for the people arriving. With Astoria and Draco already in the House, they were waiting for Luna who appeared in a layered aquamarine dress. Not too pompous but not too simple. The tiara on her head gave it a nice touch to her look. She let Mimi guide her to the Sunroom. 

The next to come in was Marcus Flint wearing a dark blue double breasted trench coat over a dark suit and dragon hide boots. He looked rather dashing if he could cover his troll face. He followed Reborn towards the Sunroom leaving Iolanthe to wait for Hermione. Iolanthe hoped Hermione would dress as she had instructed or she would be looked down upon by Draco and Marcus as her not following the correct etiquette would mean she was not serious on her involvement. It was all Pureblood traditions yet Iolanthe couldn’t disregard it as Lady and Duchess of three Houses. 

Thankfully Hermione realized the seriousness of the meeting when she appeared in a gold rose, long sleeve, A-line dress with her hair pinned in a braid. As fellows with impossible hair, Iolanthe knew the suffering of not knowing how to comb her hair so a braid was always their best friends. The bespectacled witch noticed the nice curves on Hermione’s body together with her mature and pleasant face and wondered why there weren’t lines upon lines of suitors after her. But well, it was not time to gossip about her love-life. 

“Thanks for coming, Hermione. It is just us for the moment so there is no need to do that boring greeting stuff. Come.” Iolanthe said picking up her skirt, showing the stilettos clad on her feet. They were not that tall but they still gave her a few more centimeters. 

“Thanks for inviting me.” Hermione replied a bit flustered with her dress. She was more of suits so wearing a dress was still unknown territory for her. “Who else is here?”

“You are the last one. Uh, I should warn you about Marcus Flint being here but who cares about him.” Iolanthe said with a dismissive wave of her hand. Hermione snorted. The latter had noticed the quick ascension of Flint in the Ministry and knowing he was there in a meeting with Iolanthe then she could connect the dots realizing it was all Iolanthe’s work. “Just be yourself. You are here because we acknowledge how you do things and if someone offends you, then you are more than welcomed to reply back. Apart from the dress code, there isn’t much of a guideline as to what to do in this meeting. We are basically talking about projects we want to implement, the plausibility of them and what means we need to use for them.”

Hermione nodded understanding perfectly what she was getting into. She had gotten into the Ministry because she wanted to make a difference in the Wizarding Society. Being in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures shattered her naïve view of how things get done inside the Ministry. Employees had no voice unless they were related to any Ancient and Noble House; basically all Purebloods and some Halfbloods. It was very disheartening yet there was not much she could do for the moment until Iolanthe came. 

Hermione didn’t want to take advantage of Iolanthe’s status to push her own agenda; after all, as easy as she could get into Iolanthe’s new group, she could easily be kicked out. So, in her opinion, what she had before her was the best chance to work side by side with Lords and Ladies who were actually trying to improve the stagnated British Wizarding Community. 

Both women arrived at the Sunroom where the others were waiting for them. Hermione took her place beside Luna while Iolanthe took the seat beside her Husband at the head of the table. As the hosts it was obvious they would get the seats of honor from where they could precede the meeting.

“Alright, thanks for coming and for looking fabulous this early in the morning. If you feel it’s unfair to dress like this for a mere meeting, then we can go somewhere to party afterwards.” Iolanthe opened up setting the mood for the meeting. 

Astoria hid her smile behind the cup of tea she had already served for herself. Draco was already sighing in exasperation. Luna was sporting an amused expression while playing with a ringlet of hair. Flint hadn’t changed his expression as this was not the first time he had met with Iolanthe and she was rather casual about this stuff; expensive dress aside. Reborn didn’t stop flipping through the pages of plans Iolanthe had made for that meeting; he still had a small smile on his face though. Hermione was dumbfounded; were meetings supposed to be like that?

“According to our agenda for today we are revising the moves the Lord and Ladies had done in the previous few days for the session on the 20th. Then, we will speak about what moves we should do for the 20th. Next is the new project we have for the Department of Magical Transportation. We will count on Flint to give us a review on how the Department is working right now and if the new project is viable. We also need to start brainstorming on how to get new people to impulse our projects in the Ministry, and finally we will check on the consequences of bringing Lord Malfoy back to the Wizengamot.” Iolanthe then listed.

“What?!” Hermione suddenly shrieked. “You are bringing Lucius Malfoy to the Wizengamot?” She looked somewhat angry at the prospect and severely unwilling. But she soon realized that what she said was a mistake as everybody was looking at her with dead serious eyes as if waiting for her to explain her view. Suddenly, she felt that being in that democratic meeting was not that good. “I… Wasn’t he banned from everything that has to do with the Ministry?” As soon as her words were out, she jumped from her sit and gasped in fright when a knife nailed on the table in front of her.

“There is your answer.” Reborn said breaking the silence. The knife had nailed a piece of paper too. What was terrifying about his action was that the knife was one used to spread marmalade on pastries and such, no sharp side and no deadly tip but it was still halfway embedded in the table. “I thought you said she was smart, Iolanthe.”

Hermione blushed in embarrassment not only for being called stupid by Iolanthe’s Husband but because she actually knew the answer to her own question as she had studied all the laws regarding how the Wizengamot worked and she had completely forgotten about them the moment Lucius Malfoy was mentioned. She took her seat again and pretended to read the paper to ‘educate’ herself while telling the others to continue with the meeting.

From the side, she could listen how well they worked together; there was tension with Marcus Flint but that was just because he liked to joke about Iolanthe’s standing as Lady which the latter replied in kind mocking the guy too. She discovered that they also counted with the latest gossip Narcissa had dug out from her soirees with other Ladies and also with Parvati’s intel about what the other Lords had irresponsibly leaked to the Media. Of course not all that information would be published but it could be off-handedly mentioned in several articles. 

There was not that much regarding the other Lords but let it not be said that the Pureblood ways of one Draco Malfoy and another Astoria Greengrass were for naught and could quickly theorize about what laid underneath the many Lords movements. Some times, the conversation would deviate; example of that would be the moment they wondered if they could make Astoria take up the mantle of Lady Greengrass since her family wasn’t living in Britain any longer. It turned out she couldn’t due to the Greengrass Family rules that only a man could take the mantle unless she was the sole descendant in the Family.

Hermione got another fright when Lord Potter suddenly perked up and very animatedly volunteered himself to go kill her Family. Astoria flustered and politely declined his offer; she didn’t want them to die no matter what they did to her. The Greengrass Family may have been portrayed as a grey Family but they were still Slytherins so self-preservation was in the forefront of their minds when trouble arose. 

Hermione was equally spooked when they started talking about sacking Humbert Macmillan for his poor job as a delegate in the ICW. They were addressing these matters as if they wanted to take possession of the Ministry and rule it themselves. But she soon began to understand their reasons when Macmillan’s poor performance had affected how Britain was seen in front of other countries; specially after their rather unstable position in the ICW after war. That reflected in the way other countries treated Britain and by consequence their apprehension to take their country seriously. 

If they wanted to further their agenda, the cooperation with other countries was necessary too and Humbert Macmillan was making things extremely difficult. It was a wonder they managed to coax Brazil to do business with them and that was all thanks to Flint. 

Considering their big next project for the Department of Magical Transportation, specifically the Portkey Office then the delegate to the ICW was crucial for the implementation. Normally, matters involving other countries would pass through a lengthy scrutiny from the Wizengamot but they had found a way to go over it by working with the corresponding Departments and Offices first and only when it is about to take place the Wizengamot is involved to approve the matter. If not, then they would be fighting Lords and Ladies wanting to take advantage of the project and take underserved credit for it.

So, the appointment of a new delegate was a must. The problem was, who?

“It should be either a Ravenclaw or a Slytherin.” Luna mused making Hermione look incredulous at her. Since when was Luna Lovegood fine with Slytherins? Well, there were three of them in the meeting so perhaps Hermione should be more open about it. 

“If you want to put a Slytherin, I recommend Gemma Farley.” Flint input.

“Oh, Farley!” Draco exclaimed. He knew her. She was the prefect that led them to the Slytherin Common Room back when he was in first year. “I also think she is a good option. She looks innocent to the point of being naïve but next thing you know she has coaxed you to willingly do her bidding. There is a way with words she has that she even made her Grandfather, Lord Farley, announce her as Heir Farley disregarding her older brother Jake. Most likely, she is preparing herself to take the mantle in the Wizengamot. Apart from that, I don’t know where she is.” 

“She is the Head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.” Hermione announced as the one with more information about the Ministry apart from Flint who nodded confirming what she said. “There were a lot of rumors about her being made Head so young two years ago but seeing her efficiency and how well she handled those from the different divisions nobody had a sole complaint about her age anymore.”

“Let’s find a way to contact her. I leave that to you, Flint.” Iolanthe nodded satisfied with such a person and started delegating tasks.

“It’s best if it’s not me.” Flint, however, refused instantly earning the curious gaze of the people around but he abstained from explaining though he didn’t need to.

Astoria was more than happy to provide for the reason. “He offended her when he announced to all and sundry in the Common Room that he would court and marry her. I heard he was drunk.” The others refrained from commenting about Flint’s disastrous attempt at dating and went back to the matter at hand. 

“Draco?” Iolanthe prompted to her friend.

“Forget I exist for this task. That woman could easily cheat my underwear off me without me noticing.” Draco also refused.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Malfoy.” Flint scoffed. “Who would want your dirty underwear?” That made the others laugh while Draco looked at Flint with resentment. He knew there was nothing he could say either; he didn’t even hold hope for Astoria. They might get perfectly along and liked each other but there was no deep feelings of love and wanting to die for the other. At least, they hadn’t reached that stage. 

“Alright, alright. Let’s leave Draco’s expensive underwear alone.” Iolanthe said between laughs earning Draco’s haughty sniff. “Since nobody wants to take this monumental task then leave it to me.”

“Good luck with that. I hope I don’t hear soon Farley will be Lady Potter, Lady Black and Duchess Peverell and leave you in the streets.” Draco said sipping on his tea. 

The meeting resumed after making fun of each other. One of the final points they discussed was the effect of Lucius Malfoy returning to the Wizengamot. Hermione didn’t speak much during the meeting and she spoke even less when it came to Lucius Malfoy. She still couldn’t process the fact Iolanthe had supported him during the Malfoy trials years ago and next thing Hermione knew, Iolanthe wanted to bring him back to the political currents in the Wizarding Community. More and more she felt she knew nothing about the Iolanthe in front of her. 

At the end, they irresponsibly concluded that since the matter could be done then others shouldn’t complain and if they did, then they should change the law instead; see if they would like it for their power to be permanently revoked. Regarding the search of new allies, they would first see how the Ministry and more importantly the Wizengamot behaved after the 20th.

As the ones leaving started to stand up, the door suddenly opened and a small, nimble figure darted inside and directly burrowed into Iolanthe’s arms. 

_**“Mom! Mom! Look!”**_ Farid excitedly called out to then close her eyes and focus. The room stayed silent watching with curiosity what they girl would do. Though Flint and Hermione were stunned as they could only hear the girl hiss at Iolanthe. And they almost cried out in surprise when they noticed the girl’s hair was turning into scales that sported a spotted pattern while it flared like the hood of a snake. 

Iolanthe watched the transformation with a keen eye. Her biggest concern was if Farid felt any pain while turning into a snake but relaxed when her girl finely formed a scaled hood and her face was half covered in scales too. It had only been a couple of days and she was already making progress. _**“I’m so proud of you, my baby!”**_ Iolanthe gushed hugging Farid tightly. _**“Now, head down to the kitchen with Petal and Dew to cook lunch. I still have guests here.”**_ Iolanthe could see the nervous House-elves fidgeting by the door.

“Come Farid. Show Dad your amazing transformation once again.” Reborn interjected not wanting to take part in the farewell greetings and leading Farid and the elves to the kitchen. 

The group also walked out and made their way to the parlour in silence. The ones in the know of what Farid was doing had no opinions of the matter; only anticipation. Flint thought it was best to leave the matter aside as it was not his place to comment about it. It was Hermione who was almost exploding in curiosity. Draco and Astoria left for the House in Wales. Luna went back to her house to continue seeing Rolf’s silly attempts at getting into her Daddy’s good grace. Flint had to go to the Ministry. Hermione hesitated by the fireplace not sure if she should ask.

“My daughter, Farid, is a snake Maledictus with a problem in her core rendering her unable to naturally transform so she is undergoing the Animagus training under Petal, Dew and Sirius’ eyes.” Iolanthe saved her old friend from her self-imposed torture. 

Hermione nodded wanting to ask more but the flames in the fireplace stopped her. From the flames, Neville came out patting the sooth away. “Oh, hello Hermione. I didn’t think you would be here.” He greeted her ex-classmate. 

“Hi, Neville.” Hermione also greeted looking from Iolanthe and him.

Iolanthe hadn’t been Hermione’s friend for so long to not notice her curiosity reaching a new high. No matter how much they had distanced with time, Iolanthe had always considered the bushy-haired witch her friend and decided to include her in the Peverell castle project. Hermione was basically going to work with her in the Wizengamot so it would be inevitable to spend a lot of time together and having a strained, awkward relationship was not Iolanthe’s way of doing things.

“Follow me, you two.”


	38. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Family time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to add the Wizengamot meeting here but it didn't match with what was previously written, so I left it with just family moments between Farid, Iolanthe and Reborn. That's why this is more of an interlude with a bit of information in it.

* * *

 

The more Hermione heard what Iolanthe wanted to do with the Peverell Castle, the more enchanted she was with the idea. She would have loved for a place like that to have existed before she started studying at Hogwarts! The plan was in its conception stage. The castle was being cleaned and Iolanthe was recruiting people to help her with it. Neville was thinking about the proposal but Hermione had no doubts about it.

“Let me join you! I can help!” She enthusiastically grabbed Iolanthe’s hand and looked at the bespectacled witch with sparkling eyes.

“You will be busy with the Wizengamot, Hermione. I don’t think you will have time for another project.” Iolanthe knew that things with the Wizengamot wouldn’t take much time in a day but sometimes it would get tedious so she wanted to give Hermione free time to do what she wanted, what she liked and spend time with those she loved to relax a bit. 

Though Hermione thought otherwise. “It’s ok. I can handle my time very well, you know that. I definitely will be able to help with this.”

Iolanthe sighed knowing well that Hermione wouldn’t rest until she said yes. “I will let you know when I start the next stage of the project. What about you, Neville?”

“I, uh…” Neville hesitated. “I was offered a job in Hogwarts as soon as I end my internship with Professor Sprout and she retires.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful! Congratulations, Neville!” Iolanthe enthusiastically said. Neville graciously thanked her but he still looked guilty for no being able to help her. “Don’t worry about me, I will find another person.”

Their reunion continued with idle talk about what plans Iolanthe had for the castle as Reborn and Farid looked from the side. Lunch was served in the mostly unused dinning room so there was plenty of room for Father and Daughter to choose a spot for themselves. There wasn’t any special reason for it like, giving Iolanthe and her friends some space or Reborn hating any of her friends; it was simply because Reborn wanted to teach Farid to read lips as part of her training and learning-English process. Since it was her first time, Farid was not good at it yet Reborn wasn’t complaining. Not everybody could learn the technique, anyway. 

At the end of their lunch, Hermione couldn’t muster up the courage to ask about Iolanthe’s… daughter. It was obvious the girl was adopted and Iolanthe had said she was a Maledictus with a problem in her core. Yet she wanted to ask more about her. However, she was afraid of offending Lord Potter as the man looked very close to the girl and perhaps someone constantly asking about her would displease him. Hermione still couldn’t forget how he easily volunteered to get rid of a whole family and that made her wonder who actually Lord Potter was.

So far, nobody knew anything about him. Even the name had disappeared thanks to the Fidelius she cast when they visited her. Yes, she was one of the firsts, if not the very first, to notice about the disappearance of his name. 

As they made their way to the parlour, Hermione constantly reminded Iolanthe to let her know when the Castle would be done with its renovation to instantly begin the next stage of the project; she even started mumbling her own ideas and what could be done rendering Iolanthe and Neville totally helpless. Iolanthe returned to the dinning room and unceremoniously threw herself on a chair, laying on the table groaning.

“Thank Godric it is over.” She relished.

“You see, baby girl. Mommy is such a busy person that us unemployed bums should be ashamed.” Reborn commented making Farid laugh and Iolanthe chuckle. 

“I want to be an unemployed bum too and save myself from all this politics hubbub.” She returned.

“Don’t say that. If you become unemployed, then how are we going to eat and pay the bills?” Reborn joked making her way towards her together with Farid.

Soon, Iolanthe felt two pair of small hands massaging her. A pair knew what to do whilst the other was just pinching, tickling her. “We will subsist with your paltry salary, Renato.” She quipped making the Arcobaleno laugh. Compared to what she earns monthly from the Potter and Black businesses, he was not ashamed to admit that what he gets for his missions was truly nothing to write home about. And with him shouldering the renovation in the Peverell Castle… well, as long as he was healthy, nothing else mattered. 

“And that, Farid, is how you bully the poor Husband; by being a savage tyrant just like Mommy.” Reborn told Farid with a serious expression as if imparting great wisdom. 

Both Farid and Iolanthe laughed at his antics. “Oh? So I am a savage tyrant now?” Iolanthe devilishly smirked sending a shiver down Reborn’s spine. Oh the misfortune of having a toddler body!

But he composed himself and managed to reply back. “And here, Farid, is when you run away and hide; after offending the savage tyrant.” He didn’t have to say it twice when the girl happily ran out of the room followed by Reborn who even had the audacity to look back and wink at Iolanthe. She helplessly chuckled and thought she had spoiled her Husband too much during that week. But well, with a girl around, there was no need to be serious all the time. 

“Mimi.” Iolanthe called out. The female elf appeared with comfortable pants and a shirt perched on her arm, knowing very well what her Mistress wanted. She had been looking at them from the side, anyway. Iolanthe beamed at Mimi for being attentive and change real quick. “Thank you, Mimi. Now, before I forget; Gopy, Joky, Loppy, Docky.” One by one the named House-elves appeared in front of her. And as Reborn had said, they looked bulky compared to a normal House-elf, perfect for their jobs. “There is a room in the dungeons that has a few Creatures in it. From now on you will take care of it. Just make sure the Creatures live in the corresponding environment and do things on your own judgement. Oh, there is a Dementor down there, so be careful.”

The four House-elves were excited by Iolanthe’s command. Even if they didn’t mind going around cleaning and fixing things in a house, it was not what they were trained for. So, they were looking forward to finally doing something they were experts at.

“As Mistress commands!” The four said in unison and popped out to find their paradise.

“Ok, now to find those naughty imps.” She said with a gleam in her eyes. 

And so, an extreme game of Hide-and-Seek began. It was easy to find Farid in the huge house but Reborn was another matter. After a few rounds taking turns in the search, Iolanthe realized why her Husband wanted to play the game to a new level. He was teaching Farid how to silently walk around, to choose the best hiding spot and even to disguise taking advantage of her surroundings. Farid had no idea she was being taught but her desire to win in the game made her get better and better at it. Of course, it was a slow process but she still made progress by dinner time. 

While eating, Reborn patiently taught Iolanthe Japanese. She was not totally ignorant since she had spent some time apprenticing in Japan but she needed to polish it -she wanted to visit that robe store again, anyway. And while teaching her, they talked about how they were going to go back to the Potter Home. They had arrived using the same Thestral… basically they could only travel by flying. Iolanthe being pregnant prevented them from using a portkey or Apparating. The Floo was not connected in the Potter Home and even if it was, they didn’t know if Farid would be able to use it since she could only speak Parsel and they didn’t want her to try it. 

The problem with flying was… Farid was afraid of heights. And it didn’t seem to be improving when Reborn made her climb a tree. She screamed bloody murder as soon as she looked down from the lowest branch; somewhere above two meters high. They had to be creative to not render the poor girl useless when it came to heights. Recruiting the three female house-elves, they decided to make something special.

…

As Farid packed the few things she brought with her, the door of Sirius’ room opened and a bright light shone. She covered her eyes until the light subsided. Carefully opening them, she noticed a small silhouette in front of the light.

“Are you Farid Potter?” The silhouette asked. Dumbfounded, Farid nodded. “I was sent by your very awesome, very cool, very handsome, the best Hitman in the world, with the most beautiful Wife in the whole universe, your Dad, to cure your fears” It announced. 

The light dimmed and Farid could finally see who the silhouette was. _**“Dad?”**_

“No, no, no. I am your fairy godmother specialized in curing phobias.” With lustrous long blonde hair, a sparkly light green dress, a tiara on the head and swishing a Wand, the godmother presented herself. “Now, tell me your problem, child. What are you afraid of?”

 

It wasn’t the first time Farid had seen his Dad wearing women’s clothes for a role play, so she smoothly went along with it. They were fun, either way. _**“I am… afraid of heights.”**_ She fidgeted. Just remembering they were going to fly by Thestral again made her anxious and sick and sweaty and totally not wanting to ride on it.

“That’s all right, my child.” The fairy godmother consoled the spooked girl. “It is totally fine to be afraid of something. Though as your Dad would say, fears are made to be beaten up. However, you are one fine, pretty girl so there is no need to be violent about it and we are going to use a super special knight to help you overcome your fear. You may come in.” 

And in came the most gorgeous knight Farid had ever seen. Her Dad had dressed as a knight before but with his small body, he couldn’t compare to the knight standing in front of her. Clad in tight black leather clothing with metal kneepads and shoulder pads, a trailing trench coat with a wicked belt and very stylish boots the knight stood by the door. The short messy, curly hair got in the knight’s extremely green eyes and with a captivating wave of a hand, the knight combed the unruly hair away.

_**“Mom?”**_ The winded girl asked.

 

The knight smiled and Farid was left in a daze. _**“I am your knight tonight to help you overcome your fears. Together with your fairy godmother, we will make you stop fearing heights. Come.”**_ The knight extended a hand which the girl took not thinking it twice. So, with the fairy godmother perched on the knight’s shoulder, the three walked out of the room leaving Petal and Dew to take the luggage downstairs. 

 

Arriving at the entrance, the knight opened the door and with a flourish of the arm, the knight gestured for Farid to step out. She did so with the fairy godmother beside her and what she saw on the street stunned her. A luxurious and fairytale-like carriage was parked on the street in front of the house. The two Thestrals Iolanthe actually possessed were hitched to the carriage by Docky and the others, and were patiently waiting for the passengers to board the carriage which was manned by the three House-elves acting as drivers. House-elves really never needed to fly to arrive to a place so it would be Petal, Dew and Mimi’s first time exciting them immensely.

 

Farid wasn’t as excited about it as the House-elves but the encouraging smile from the knight filled her with a bit of courage and she took small steps into the carriage. The inside was spacious, with comfortable seats and even a table in the middle with tea and snacks. She could easily see the outside through the windows but there also were curtains for her to cover them. Once inside, the knight and the fairy godmother also boarded. In no time, the carriage was moving and being ready to take flight. It was a bit bumpy at the beginning, Farid having to close her eyes in fear yet soon they couldn’t feel anything. 

A few minutes into the journey, the girl gingerly opened her eyes and found that all the curtains were closed so she couldn’t see what was going on outside, not even sounds entered the cosy carriage. Both the knight and the fairy godmother were enjoying some beverage and pastries from the table. Farid glanced at it and noticed that they were all her favorites! Not one to let herself suffer -after all those years she did-, she readily and happily picked several and stuffed them into her mouth. 

The fairy godmother chuckled at the sight reminded of a certain someone who does the same when eating delicious food. “Is there a reason you are afraid of heights, Farid?” The fairy godmother asked after seeing her slow down on the pastries.

Farid paused in her chewing and started pondering. A while later she shook her head. _**“I don’t know.”**_ She didn’t know since when she was afraid of heights. There hadn’t been any traumatic experience or anything to warrant the fear, she just was. 

_**“There is nothing wrong with having fears. Your Dad is irrationally afraid of having a baby boy.”**_ The knight confided.

“That one is very justified.” The fairy godmother nodded, agreeing.

_**“Your Mom is afraid of being a bad Mom.”**_ The knight continued.

“So messed up.” The fairy godmother lamented with a sigh only to receive a whack on the head by the knight.

“Behave, you!” The knight chided while glaring making Farid giggle at their antics. Then, turning to Farid, the knight continued the lecture. _**“In short, there are all kind of fears but we think that given the chance, one can overcome them. Though it’s fine if you don’t, not everybody is willing to challenge their fears as some are very dangerous; like those who are afraid of dangerous animals like snakes and such.”**_

_**“That’s not fair! Snakes are nice!”**_ The girl raged and felt offended not only for her snake friends but because she was half-snake, too. She had suffered for her snake-like features; however, after interacting and living with people who didn’t mind about it then she started thinking all those kids back in India were being stupid!... Oh… was she being stupid by being afraid of heights? No… she mustn’t be, being really high above the ground is really scary. What if she fell down and broke something?

Her infant brain started to work and think about many things. Her eyes glanced at the two persons sitting in front of her. According to the knight, Dad was afraid of having a boy and Mom was afraid of being a bad Mom… weren’t those fears… stupid, too? But there her parents were, still living life, carrying on with their fears and… challenging them? Her Mom was nice; Farid could easily communicate with her, she gave hugs and kisses whenever and wherever, she always made good food, listened seriously to her and took good care of her. 

Her Dad; well, she didn’t know why he didn’t want boys, the only boys Farid had met were those meanie ones in India and Teddy who was kin. Besides, Mom could have a baby boy, right? Does that mean Dad wouldn’t like the baby? Would he scream like her when she was up high on a tree? The more she thought, the more surreal she thought it would be. So, she concluded, her Dad would have no choice about the matter and plough on with taking care of any little brother she could have. Then, should she do the same?

Staring at the closed curtains, her heart began to race just thinking what she wanted to do. With a shaky hand, she gripped the fabric and tore it open. Her eyes encountered the scene of the waning moon shining bright on fluffy white clouds. It was cold and the air buffeted her hair making her step back but she still didn’t take her eyes off the scenery. This… it wasn’t that bad. She wasn’t screaming, felt no fear though she was still nervous and her stomach was jumping from time to time. But… it was nice, awesome even. 

Approaching the window, she perched herself to gaze the clouds as if she were a cat; her hand still unconsciously reaching for pastries to eat. She didn’t know how long she spent it like that until she noticed the clouds were getting closer and closer and the carriage was travelling inside them leaving it in darkness. Soon, they were out and the faint light from the moon let her see that they were flying up high above meadows and moors telling her they were soon going to arrive home. Looking down, her fear spiked and she retreated back to her seat. Her eyes locked on the pair in front of her who smiled at her… only… those smiles made her instincts warn her about incoming danger. 

The knight stood up and calmly walked towards the door under Farid’s eyes. The girl’s eyes contracted when the knight opened the door letting cold wind enter the carriage, a broom taken out from who knows where on hand. Farid had no time to react when a small hand clamped on her wrist and dragged her towards the door. It happened in a moment, one second she was safely ensconced inside the comfortable carriage and the next she was free falling with the fairy godmother grabbing her arm while at the same time grabbing the knight’s free hand. Knight who was grinning widely. 

Farid meanwhile was screaming her lungs out. She tightly closed her eyes and kept screaming until she felt small hands patting her cheeks with a bit of force halting her descent into hysterics. She looked down to the still distant ground and she shrieked, tightly clutching the small body of the fairy godmother. 

“Calm down.” The firm voice forced her to shut her mouth. Glancing up she saw that Leon had transformed into something that slowed down their descent; that reassured her a bit that she wouldn’t plummet to the ground but she was still mighty frightened. “Look.” The fairy godmother softly said pointing towards the side. Farid reluctantly moved her head only for her heart to almost stop seeing the knight gallantly standing on the broom and looking at her with a handsome smile. With her attention on the knight, the latter finally was on the move.

Speeding up, the knight flew in front of them. 

In seconds, Farid was gaping with a dazed expression forgetting all about her fear. The knight was performing daunting, exhilarating and really awesome stunts while flying on the broom. But what made Farid really stare at the show was the face of happiness the knight was showing. That face portrayed how enjoyable, how fun and how freeing it was to fly up high, with only the wind as your companion. Sincerely, the stunts were only daring in Farid’s eyes who was afraid of heights. The little flying demonstration was mild in comparison to the really dangerous situations Iolanthe had been in just flying on a broom. Still, to the girl, it was almost an art; an art which was extremely…

“Beautiful.” As if reading her mind, the fairy godmother voiced out loud.

It wasn’t Farid’s first time seeing her parents being all mushy towards each other but it was her first time seeing her Dad’s eyes sparkle just seeing her Mom. She even thought he was shining a bit; but maybe that’s just the light of the moon. However, his expression gave her one piece of the puzzle as to what to look for in a boy. Just like how her Mom had explained. She should look for a boy who sparkled and shone when looking at her. If Reborn knew what was on his daughter’s mind, he would be hopping mad. 

Unfortunately -or maybe not so much-, he didn’t know and was even caught off guard by Farid’s question. _**“Dad, do you really, really like Mom?”**_ Things like love were foreign in Farid’s life back in India that’s why she was very hung onto the topic.

“It’s hard not to.” Reborn whispered watching that graceful figure fly around as if she was a goddess. “Your Mom is a very special person, Farid. It’s not only because she is externally beautiful, but how she actually is. Perhaps not many will think the same of her as I do; and I am thankful for that, if not I would have many rivals to kick around.” Farid nodded thinking he was right. “But with all her problems, all her imperfections, all her blunders, she is what she is: my Wife. And I guess I wouldn’t change that.”

_**“Dad…”**_ Farid was a bit embarrassed for him and his words. But most of all, she was happy.

“Don’t tell her I said that, my hatchling. Your Mom is too much of a pervert and she won’t get off my back if she knows.” The roguish smile on his face betrayed the fact he was half-joking which made Farid laugh. 

_**“How is it? Want to ride home with me?”**_ The knight suddenly asked very much winded and very much satisfied if the big smile was anything to go by. It was at that moment that Farid noticed she was not afraid anymore. Looking down made her stomach clench but it was not that bone-chilling terror from before. Blinking, she stared at the hand the knight had stretched towards her and without another doubt, she took it and got herself comfortable on the broom. 

With one safely put in front and the other cheekily tied to the broom while still wearing the parachute, the knight made way towards the Potter Home. They flew at a fast pace, the normal pace of the Firebolt and they even made simple loops and even flew upside down, much to Farid’s delight who was enjoying the ride more and more. When they landed, the carriage was already parked to one side and the Thestrals were pacing around. The three’s hair were a total mess but they wore wide smiles on their faces. 

All in all, Farid stopped being afraid of heights and even begged Iolanthe to teach her to fly on a broom but that would happen after she gave birth because Petal and Dew gave Iolanthe a long-winded scolding for flying without telling them.


	39. Of being a politician

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe embarks in the turbulent waters of the Wizengamot. Though she is left with so much to desire.
> 
> Reborn receives news concerning the Ottavo and rushes back to Italy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found a way to make my RTE kind of work but it still takes a lot of time editing the chapter ;v; I miss the lazy way of copy/paste and be done with it.
> 
> So, Iolanthe finally goes to the Wizengamot! Forgive this author for presenting such a lame view in politics with no schemes and barbed words but I am too pure for that *v* 
> 
> Lol anyway, if the chapter is lacking you are not allowed to bash. I am doing my best to cover my weaknesses but it's hard. BTW! We are soon going to enter the official KHR timeline! Who's excited for it?! 8>w<8
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading.

* * *

 

November, 20th. Early morning.

  
“Yawn! I can’t believe I woke up early just to go to the Ministry.” Iolanthe complained while walking towards the Black Cottage where Lucius Malfoy was waiting for her to go together. After all, Aurors would fall on him like hungry wolves if he showed up alone. “Are you sure you don’t want to accompany me?” She asked her Husband who was walking beside her, holding her hand.

  
“I rather not. Who knows if I can stand those fools talking without getting a bullet in their heads?” Reborn waved his hand in dismissal.

  
“You are just lazy.” Iolanthe chuckled.

  
“That too.” He acquiesced. To him, bullets were all one needed to make politics work. Even if he was adept at the word game, it was not that fun. Not that interesting. “Someone also needs to stay to take care of Farid.”

  
“Yeah, she would feel bad if she finds we are both gone…” she trailed off. “You are not allowed to train her in the morning. She needs to study and make progress in her transformation.”

  
Reborn’s lip twitched. Well, his plan to spend the morning trekking in the woods vanished like smoke with her words. Right, then… what would he do in the morning after making breakfast while Farid was busy studying? All the chores were done by the House-elves, going out alone was not fun anymore as he had a pupil to teach. Ah, being idle is not easy. Long vacations are not easy either. He could only stay at the house and watch Farid do her things.

  
“Why do I suddenly feel like I’ve become the Wife who stays at home with the kids while the Husband goes to work?” He mused out loud.

  
Iolanthe suddenly laughed at the ridiculousness of that statement. “You are not the one pregnant.” She squeezed his small hand.

  
Reborn nodded then looked at her. He would have liked for her to keep the short hair a bit longer but Potter Traditions didn’t allow for her to have it short while married. Anyway, he had finally found a way to attach those beads in her hair so having it long was better. Putting aside the matter of her hair, he addressed the other matter that concerned him. “How are you?” He could see her pale and tired countenance.

  
Just the day before, she presented her first pregnancy symptom by suddenly waking up and violently throwing up on him; she didn’t even have the time to run to the bathroom. The bed wasn’t saved either and although he felt uncomfortable with vomit on him, he still helped her to lean on the side of the bed. Needless to say, Mimi was called to take care of the mess while Petal prepared something to calm Iolanthe while he dutifully cleaned her up in the bathroom. Later in the morning, Astoria arrived to check on her, confirming the pregnancy they already knew about and leaving Iolanthe with lots of things to take for the development of the baby and telling them what to expect that month.

  
That morning she was lucky to be already up when her morning sickness attacked with a vengeance. She wasn’t even able to eat breakfast and barely sipped on the special tea brewed by Petal. Looking worse for wear, he really wanted to leave her in bed to rest but she assured him she was fine thus he decided to trust her. The morning breeze, even if cold, was definitely making her feel better and he internally sighed relieved. He had been having plenty of realizations lately and taking care of a pregnant Wife not being easy was the newest one; specially when his body was small and couldn’t do much.

  
“I’m fine. Still a bit queasy but much better than before.” Iolanthe replied with a smile. She still felt bad for throwing up on him and thought he would get angry yet he did not; she was grateful for it, after all, not many men would be like him, she guessed.

  
But still, with medical confirmation that she was indeed pregnant elated her to high above. Even if she was busy till the neck, nothing would dampen her mood of soon being a Mom; not even the fatigue, the morning sickness or the breast tenderness. That last one, she had noticed it that morning when she was extremely uncomfortable having her Husband buried in his bosom. If it wasn’t because he would wake up and get up at the minimum movement she did, then she would have complained about it.

  
The sight of the Black Cottage, halted her musings and they stood in front of the door, waiting after knocking. An unknown House-elf opened the door. With Kreacher gone, Draco had acquired a House-elf for his parents and told them to treat him well… or at least not how they treated House-elves before. The reason: with the Malfoy’s reputation in tatters, it was a miracle Draco was even able to get this one House-elf. Luckily, the House-elf looked very professional and never gave his parents’ a reason to lash out at him which relieved Draco to no end. It wasn’t the poor Creature’s fault, he knew, but he also knew how his parents were.

  
“Masters are waiting for you.” The plain voice of the House-elf said seeing the couple.

  
“Thank you.” Iolanthe reflexively responded which in turn made the House-elf stiffen and nod. The House-elf took them to the parlour where the Fireplace was; Narcissa and Lucius already there. “Good morning, Narcissa.” She smiled gracefully greeting the older woman. “Mr. Malfoy.” She then addressed Lucius who only rose an eyebrow at her.

  
“Good morning, Iolanthe. You look good.” Narcissa nodded scanning Iolanthe from top to bottom at her robes. Since she hadn’t been officially introduced to the Wizengamot, she had to wear plain robes and then wait to get the official robes. Standing up, Lady Malfoy fussed a bit fixing this or that until she deemed Iolanthe ready. “Draco told me about your condition yesterday explaining why Astoria suddenly visited you. Even though you look a bit pale and haggard, don’t let others look down on you.”

  
Iolanthe knew she said those words because if she was bullied by others then Lucius would also be dragged down yet she couldn’t blamed the woman. Going back to politics would mean recovering their name. Not to the state they were before but at least to not being seeing as pariahs, and her support meant a lot to them. It was very Slytherin on their part but she still appreciated the encouraging words. “Don’t worry, they have to first see if they have the standing to look down upon the Potter, Black and Peverell Houses.”

  
The smirk on Iolanthe’s face reassured Narcissa and with the fact that her Husband would be with her as well as her son, then she could let her worries go. Glancing at Lucius, Iolanthe signaled him to follow her and both disappeared in a lick of green flames one after the other.

  
“Are you not worried?” Narcissa suddenly asked the small man on the side. Even if she knew the man was dangerous and not to be taken lightly she still couldn’t see him as Lord Potter.

  
“I’m worried about those who face her.” Reborn dismissed and without another word he left. Narcissa’s lift twitched at his rudeness yet she felt relieved when she couldn’t feel his pressure anymore. Her back was covered in a thin layer of sweat and her scalp tingled. Iolanthe’s Husband was even more dangerous than Lord Voldemort, she concluded.

  
“I need tea.” She said to the air, shakily walking towards the Sunroom.

  
“Yes, mistress.” The House-elf bowed to do as indirectly commanded.

  
The Fireplaces at the Atrium flared with workers who needed to arrived at their office early. The place was still empty with few people in it so almost nobody noticed the young man standing in front of the Fireplaces looking at them intently and at the people coming out from them. Soon, he noticed the long, silvery mane of his Father and quickly made his way towards the older man arriving in time to catch the woman who stepped out from the same Fireplace with a green face. Not wasting his time, he popped something into the woman’s mouth and waited until her face looked healthier.

  
“Thanks.” She said after taking a few deep breaths. “I really hate Floo.” She grumbled.

  
“It’s just for today, then you can go back to your nest, Iolanthe.” The young man said. “Father.” He then greeted the man.

  
“Draco.” Lucius nodded. Though he should be calling Draco Lord Prince, he didn’t as they were still outside the Wizengamot room so there was no need for formalities when they were family.

  
After the greetings, the three made their way towards the reception where the man in charge looked at Iolanthe with shining eyes and easily let her in barely looking at her wand, though the same didn’t happen with Draco and Lucius. Draco was still fine, as his infamy just came from having the Malfoy name as not many knew he had the Dark Mark -the papers back then were more occupied tarnishing their name than printing relevant details- so the receptionist let him in with a suspicious gaze.

  
It was Lucius that caused a bit of problem. To begin with, he was banned from entering the Ministry, so his presence even made the man in charge of the reception to call the Aurors. Next, he didn’t even have a wand as he was also banned from having one, as such there was no way to register him -or more like, they didn’t want to. And finally, the fact he had come with Iolanthe Potter was cause of indignance. With what right he dare to associate with their Savior? The Aurors from the Security Desk soon arrived surrounding the man who still kept a poker face as if the matter wasn’t with him.

  
“Aurors sure are becoming more and more unruly.” A calm yet stern voice sounded all of a sudden when the encirclement was ready to arrest Lucius. Only then the Aurors paused and took notice of Lady Potter standing near looking at them with dispassionate eyes.

  
The group of men were somewhat uncomfortable under her eyes but as Wizards who underwent training their minds were very resilient. “We were called to apprehend someone.” One of the Aurors explained while glancing at Lucius Malfoy.

  
“Oh, that’s fine. Then, who are you going to apprehend and under what charges?” She asked, her face becoming cold.

  
“That’s…” The same Auror swept his gaze towards Lucius. The target was confirmed, the problem was… All the Aurors turned to look at the receptionist at the same time making the latter flinch at the sudden attention.

  
“I…” The man was sweating trying to explain. “Lucius Malfoy is banned from entering the Ministry of Magic.” He finally voiced a bit relieved to provide for a reason.

  
“Alone.” Iolanthe added earning the gazes from everybody present. “He can’t enter the Ministry alone. Surely you know the laws when it comes to allowing banned people entering the Ministry. Besides, the man is wandless, what can he do like that?” If there was a bit of mocking in her words, both Lucius and Draco ignored it. “He has come under the invitation of Lady Potter and Lord Prince if you need a reason as to his presence here. Also! I am sure there are laws about Aurors illegally exerting their authority on innocent citizens.”

  
The Aurors didn’t know about Lucius Malfoy being innocent but it was true that without a good reason they couldn’t take the man away. Man who, it seemed, had the backing of Lady Potter. Wouldn’t arresting him in front of her mean they disregarded her authority? They still wanted to have a job, thank you very much. With no other choice, they could only move aside to let the three pass.

  
As they were on a lift, Draco suddenly voiced out. “That was very well done, Iolanthe.”

  
However the witch was not in a good mood. “Shut up and tell me where I can find the bathroom.”  
Both men’s faces changed. One had experienced his Wife going through pregnancy and the other had heard his fiancée ramble about what to expect during early pregnancy so both were of the same mind. Let her go to the bathroom!

  
After the sudden stop, they safely arrived to Level Ten where the Wizengamot meeting room was; a few Lord and Ladies were already present. However, the three didn’t pay any heed to these people and walked directly to the Chief Warlock, Thomas Hayes, a Half-blood wizard from an almost extinct House. The reason Hayes was made Chief Warlock was because he was put on the post by Minister Shacklebolt. So far the man was perfect for the post and being just a bit over forty assured him the job for a while; unless the Wizengamot decided to suddenly change him.

  
Chief Warlock Hayes was not surprised to see the three people walking towards him. He had revised the papers submitted by all the Lord and Ladies and he had to say that although shaken by Lady Potter’s proposal, there was nothing he could do about it. It was all in the law -he checked, like a hundred times. He was a simple Senior Auror during war so he had seen what the young lady had done to take the British Wizarding society to freedom, as such he respected her a lot. When everybody was questioning her decisions, he had been analyzing them; he wasn’t in the Investigation Department for nothing.

  
Everything she had done was within the margins of the law, nothing broken. Hayes’ Mother was a Pureblood of a lesser Family but he had seen all the Traditions she had to abide to. Lady Potter by that time needed someone to guide her through the treacherous waters that was politics if she wanted to be taken seriously as a Lady by the Wizengamot and the public who were eyeing each and every movement she made. And who was better at that job that the same man who had even the Minister under his thumb? Lucius Malfoy could have been in the wrong side of war, but Hayes also loved to speculate what would have happened if Lucius Malfoy was Lord Voldemort’s enemy?  
Well, Hayes also thought that if Lucius Malfoy was instead a neutral party then he would be Minister instead.

  
Now that it was Iolanthe Potter who brought him under her wing, wouldn’t things get very interesting? He was an analytical man, and the Malfoy factor coming from Lucius as Lord Malfoy and Draco as Lord Prince was something he was looking forward to. Especially when both were associated to a witch who was Lady of both a Light and Dark House.

  
“Chief Warlock Hayes.” Iolanthe greeted.

  
“Lady Potter.” Hayes greeted back and nodded at the two men behind her. “I know why you came to me. Same rules as always, Houses by seniority. As Lady of two Most Ancient and Noble Houses you will be seated in the upper seats. Prince House is in the middle being only Ancient and Noble. As for the Malfoy House… recent events should have erased all existence of this House yet since you are bringing it back under the signature of even the Peverell House, law dictates it can instantly be made Ancient and Noble -taking into account its past history, too.”

  
Hayes inwardly sighed at the rather corrupted laws from the Wizengamot but there was nothing he could; the title of Chief Warlock sounded important and mighty but he was just a mediator or a nanny that prevented the Lords and Ladies from pulling each other’s hair.

  
Iolanthe nodded in understanding and asked a few matters, like the robes and a bit of the process of the session while the room filled up. She wasn’t afraid of asking even if she knew -being told by Lucius. If the approving light in Thomas Hayes was something to go by then her questions were very welcomed, giving the man the authority as Chief Warlock had over them Lords.

  
As more people entered, more noticed the presence of the two Malfoy men in their midst. Whispers and conversations sounded around with fingers pointed and glares directed at the two. For their part, neither Draco nor Lucius paid them any attention. It wouldn’t be their first time being under the scornful faces of the public. Done with her conversation, Iolanthe led the two towards their seats. She had been explained the Wizengamot inevitably was divided in three parts; the Light Faction, the Dark Faction and the Neutral Faction.

  
Sincerely, she thought it was all stupid. It was because of these divisions that people like Lord Voldemort could do whatever they wanted in their society. So, disregarding the ‘alignment’ of her Houses, she had no qualms in seating in the Neutral Faction. The whispers stopped for a moment and resumed even louder after her actions. She didn’t care and got comfortable on her seat, high above the others. Or more like, she was the only one in the upper seats. She could see the whole room from up there and reckoned that was the reason Lords or Ladies of Most Ancient and Noble Houses were placed in the upper seats.

  
To feel even more superior than they already were. That was sick, in her opinion.

There was a clear division between the seniority of the Houses yet right below her were Draco and Lucius already talking in hushed tones with each other. Iolanthe subtly pouted, she was so alone up there and wished she would have persuaded her Husband in attending. She could have acted as Lady Black while he would acted as Lord Potter. But she knew leaving Farid alone in the House was not nice of them no matter how they explained it.

  
Though she soon found a peer in the form of Henrik Fawley with the new promotion of his House to Most Ancient and Noble. The man hesitated a bit before sitting right beside Iolanthe. It wasn’t surprising if a businessman of his caliber sat in the Neutral Faction; in fact, it would have been weird if he didn’t. Having learned his lesson regarding the dynamics with the Potter House, he greeted Iolanthe and struck idle conversation with her.

  
“My Lords, pray be seated.” Chief Warlock Hayes called to order. “We open session number two thousand six hundred and seventy four on the twentieth day of the eleventh month of year two thousand.” He stated while the Court Scribe furiously noted down the information for filing purposes. “Before addressing the matters all the Lords and Ladies have recently risen, we first have a few announcements to make. Our solemn body is having a few additions from now on. Iolanthe Potter has taken up the seats for the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black with Hermione Jean Granger as proxy and secretary."

  
“Next, we also welcome Draco Malfoy for taking up the mantle as Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Prince by inheritance of the Late Severus Tobias Snape, direct descendant of the Prince Line and Godfather of the above mentioned with all the correct procedures overseen by the Goblin Manager of the Prince vaults also in charge of the Will of Mr. Severus Snape.” Murmurs sounded around since nobody was aware of such relationship between Snape and Draco. “We also have the reinstatement of Lucius Malfoy and the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy by the petition of the Potter, Black and Peverell Houses.”

  
Outrage from the Light Faction and some from the Neutral Faction rose from that last announcement. They turned towards Iolanthe and angrily demanded for answers. Yet seeing the cold expression on Iolanthe’s face, the voices slowly subsided until only silence remained. Only then she spoke.

  
“The Wizengamot is composed by Lords and Ladies that are considered the pillars in this society. A society that depends on the fair judgement and decisions made by it. However, what would the wizards and witches out there think when such a respected body yells and points fingers as if they were shrews on the street? If you dare to question my petition, then simply get out of here! Don’t go running your mouth around without knowing the laws under which the Wizengamot fall. Such a disgraceful behavior!” She hmphed. “Continue with the session Chief Warlock.”

  
The cowed crow could only shrink in their seats and let Chief Warlock Hayes resume. “Lastly, we congratulate Henrik Fawley for his contribution to this society earning the promotion of his House to Most Ancient and Noble.” Controlled applause followed the announcement and a few words of congratulations towards the man.

  
After that the real session began. Iolanthe thought it would be a tense environment filled with debates, arguments and important laws being discussed, refuted or changed for the betterment of the Wizarding community; instead what she got was a room full of people talking about inane things like the recent drop in land acquisition from wizards, the matter of a new law regarding the Muggle fashion influence on the community and some restrictions towards the trading of goods from other countries. Iolanthe was appalled and her neighbor looked a bit offended by those restrictions. He was the most vocal when it came to that matter.

  
Neither her nor Draco nor Lucius spoke one bit while the others talked. More than one person, either from the Light Faction and the Dark Faction looked at Iolanthe or Lucius, respectively, to seek their support yet this session was one in which they would test the waters, see how the Wizengamot was working in comparison to years ago when Lucius was still part of it. So those people could only glare and resent at their lack of cooperation.

  
Iolanthe only perked up -after hours of boring topics- when a matter regarding the application and training of Aurors came up. Once upon a time, she had wanted to become an Auror and even took the subjects for it. Sadly with war, she got a bit fed up of fighting for others and not living her own life so she easily desisted on that path. Nevertheless, for nostalgia’s sake, she was very interested in the Department. Though what she didn’t like was the direction the matter was taking.

  
“Just because we aren’t at war, it doesn’t mean we have to lower the standards of the Auror Department.” She quickly interjected during a pause. Those who could see her with just turning their heads did it while the others just limited to hear her. “An Auror represents safety to the citizens. I wouldn’t like it if an Auror can’t even protect me from a Flobberworm!”

  
A few people chuckled at her words. But there were others who just liked to oppose people.

  
“There are many youths aiming to be an Auror and with times being as they are, there is no need to raise the bar as to their qualifications.”

  
“Exactly. As long as they can do their job properly, then it doesn’t matter who enters the Force.”

  
“I beg to differ.” Iolanthe once again cut. “It’s not a matter of letting any Harry, Tom or Dick enter one of the most important Departments in the Ministry; after all, there is a reason the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is the biggest in the Ministry. Times being as they are, what’s the meaning of that? You mean to say that after we let these mediocre people in and then something of grave impact happens in the community that needs the help of Aurors, aren’t we just simply sending them to their death? Forgive me but I don’t want to carry with that guilt.”

  
“You exaggerate, Lady Potter, there isn’t any threat out there for us to need specialized Forces.”

  
“But what if! I would rather sin of being a paranoid person than being unprepared, but what if there could be a sudden threat? It can’t only be in the form of the likes of Voldemort who only terrorized our community! There are also the likes of Grindelwald who posed a threat not to only one country but to many. In that case, when other countries ask for our help and see our ill-fitted and lame Aurors, won’t we become a joke? The matter of training Aurors is of utmost importance and the qualifications of applicants should be risen not lowered! Now that we have the time to prepare! I wouldn’t like to see another merry band of vigilantes like in the last war to appear.” She retorted.

  
“Band you were happily part of.” Someone from the Dark Faction sneered.

  
“Because you were all useless!” She roared standing up. “Every one of you were totally useless against a threat on your own soil. It took just a few sweet words from this man,” she exclaimed pointing at Lucius Malfoy, “to pave the road for an easy take over of Voldemort’s forces on the Ministry because the Minister himself was a bumbling fool who could only take bribes and hide like the coward he was! And you weren’t any better! It took a group of civilians to do the job that belonged to those incompetent and corrupted Aurors to end a war where children had to fight! Aren’t you ashamed of that?! How could you sleep at night knowing that hundreds of children had to fight and die because the people that were supposed to protect them weren’t up for the job?! But yes, continue lowering the standards, continue filling the Auror Force with trash that can do nothing and only then it would be you yourselves fighting the battles and dying!”

  
With a huff, she sat and ignored the stunned gazes directed at her. Chief Warlock Hayes had a small smile on his face and with a cough, he easily got the attention of the Lord and Ladies in the silent room. “We discard the motion. Onto the next one…”

  
It wasn’t until noon that the session was over. Iolanthe exited the place with Draco and Lucius behind her and a thundering expression on her face. She was tired, she was hungry, she wanted to go to the bathroom again. If all the Wizengamot sessions were going to be like that, then she better let her Husband attend them and kill one, two, or several members for being complete idiots. She couldn’t believe she got herself into the trouble of being a part of the Wizengamot, she should have continued doing things behind the curtains and be done with it.

  
The two men tactfully kept silent and marveled at the fact that with her mood, no others dared to approach them to make trouble for them. It could have also been because they were Malfoys and the name was looked down upon even by Horklumps. They received even weirder looks as they waited for Iolanthe near the ladies restroom and had the tact to move farther away.

  
All refreshed and happy for the moment, Iolanthe washed her hands until a voice interrupted her actions.

  
“Incredible words back there, Lady Potter.”

  
Iolanthe looked up and a smile blossomed on her face, making the woman in the reflection of the mirror pause.

  
“Coming from you, I’m honored, Lady Farley.”

  
Gemma Farley pondered if it was ok to approach Iolanthe Potter but heck, she already did and it would be rude to just leave the younger witch hanging there. “Some old coots think that just because they are getting bald, they get the final say in how things are done.” She said ignoring the surpised look in Iolanthe.

  
“Then, I guess it’s time for the younger generation to take control, right?” Iolanthe smiled. Gemma’s lips twitched. No doubt Iolanthe Potter had heard of what she had done with her Family and just when she wanted to follow up the conversation, Iolanthe suddenly bolted into a cubicle and threw up as if her life depended on it, startling Gemma.

  
“Are you ok?” Gemma tentatively asked while awkwardly patting Iolanthe’s back.

  
Flushing the toilet, Iolanthe stood up. “I’m fine.” She weakly said wiping away any vomit residues to the go back to washing her hands and rinsing her mouth. Deeply breathing, she looked at the concerned witch who didn’t know what to do. For a Slytherin Gemma didn’t have that natural haughtiness and truly looked rather naïve. Well, as Iolanthe didn’t know if it was an act or not, the only thing she could do is being straightforward. “Would you like to become the delegate for the ICW?”

  
Alright, Gemma had no idea why the conversation escalated from insincere praises to becoming delegates in the ICW and it made her mind whirl with thousands of thoughts. “MacMillan has just been appointed as delegate.” She probed. Gemma Farley has seen the happenings in the Ministry from her position of Head and she has noticed the minute changes going around. It all started when Marcus Flint suddenly became Head of the Department of Magical Transportation beating the other candidate to the post, Percy Weasley.

  
Now, that could just mean that Flint saw the light and finally grew a brain, yet as a Slytherin, she could smell when others had been meddling in Ministry affairs. That was why she had her Department tightly under her control with nobody interfering in it. It was a bit surreal to Gemma to think that it was Iolanthe Potter to be behind it but she heard some rumors that she had met with Burke and some others, including Henrik Fawley a clever businessman, the Brazilian guy who brought new brooms to the market and oh surprise, Marcus Flint.

  
The little person she had been eyeing, Hermione Granger, to transfer to her Department was snatched by Iolanthe Potter making Hermione her secretary for Wizengamot affairs. Those were mere clues and loose ends she discovered but what convinced her that something was going on was when she saw Iolanthe standing with Lucius and Draco Malfoy; well-known Dark Wizards and supporters of the Dark Lord she defeated. Gemma had a little impression of Draco, mostly he relied on his own Father to behave like a little tyrant in the Slytherin House.

  
But Lucius Malfoy was another case. Before his fall, the man was in the peak. The Minister listened to each and every word that came out of his mouth as if it was gold. The other Houses had no way to contend to his power, his logic, his way to maneuver them until he had them in his clutches. Lucius Malfoy was born a politician and that politician was following a Iolanthe Potter who was the total opposite of him. There was something brewing and Iolanthe’s question was like a door to a place where Gemma knew wouldn’t come out. Seeing the expectancy, the confidence and determination coming from Iolanthe’s eyes, Gemma’s blood boiled in excitement.

  
The Farley House was already hers, the role of Head of Department was no longer thrilling and being a Lady in the Wizengamot was just a joke with all those old fools. She needed something better, something in which she could show her genius! Delegate of the ICW…

  
“I…” Just when she was going to probe a little bit further, Iolanthe once again ran to the bathroom to spill her guts out.

  
“Call Draco, plea-” Iolanthe couldn’t even make a request when she was once again retching.   
Gemma had to admit that Iolanthe’s behavior was scaring her so she didn’t hesitate to walk out of the restroom and instantly found Draco Malfoy standing a distance away from the restroom with his Father. The moment she came out, the young man looked at her and his brows jumped. With purpose, she headed towards the men.

  
“Lady Potter is almost dying inside that restroom.” She said. Not even a second later, Draco was rushing towards the restroom uncaring of the fact it was for ladies. “Lord Malfoy.” She greeted the man left behind.

  
“Lady Farley.” Lucius nodded.

  
Seconds later, they heard Draco’s voice scolding Iolanthe. “I leave you for a few minutes and you look so wretched your Husband will surely hang me with my own hair!” Gemma’s eyebrow rose. She almost forgot Iolanthe Potter was married though hearing Draco it sounded like the man was a bit… extreme. Her eyes suddenly glinted when a thought crossed her mind but disappeared when she saw the feeble smile Iolanthe Potter directed at her.

  
“I’m sorry you had to see that. Can I know the answer to my question? I need to go back home to rest.” Iolanthe did look ready to drop dead at any second and it was only with Draco’s help that she was standing.

  
Well, even if she was a Slytherin, Gemma was someone with plenty of ambition that she could be as reckless as a Gryffindor. “Count me in.” Receiving a nod in reply, she turned and left. Not caring about the men standing there.

  
Seeing Farley’s back while leaving, Draco had an amazed and puzzled look on his face. “What did you do to convince Farley?” He even expected the older witch to cheat out a few benefits from Iolanthe yet that didn’t seem the case so he was curious as to Iolanthe’s method.

  
“Well, incur pity by puking your guts out and then ask the million-dollar question.” Iolanthe said with a smile. Draco rolled his eyes and just dragged her out of the Ministry to dump her back to her Husband to take care of her.

 

...

 

That same day in the afternoon, Iolanthe was woken up from a much needed nap by Reborn who was supposed to be out with Farid doing their training. Normally, Iolanthe wouldn’t care about someone interrupting her sleep but at the moment she felt like hibernating until the baby was out so she was very displeased at being woken up. She curled under the blankets even more and ignored her Husband.

  
Reborn sighed knowing Iolanthe needed to rest but he just received important news. “Iolanthe, the Ottavo is dead.” He relayed. The body under the blankets uncurled and poked a head with extremely untamed hair out. “Nono asked me to go back.”

  
Iolanthe stayed silent for who knows how long and Reborn thought she had fallen asleep again. Just when he was about to gently tap on her to wake her up, a pair of arms encircled his body and dragged him under the warm blankets where he was pressed against his Wife’s bosom. Reborn didn’t know what Iolanthe was doing, if she had heard him or if she was asleep but he didn’t dare to move. He wasn’t uncomfortable, anyway, and limited himself to breath the sweet smell that was her. A hand started to gently card his hair and if it wasn’t because he really needed to leave then he would have fallen asleep together with her.

  
Though Iolanthe herself prevented him from doing just that when her lips pecked his and then sat up. If it weren’t for his toddler body, then that kiss most likely would have developed to more. Reborn sighed sadly.

  
A chuckle sounded above him. “Don’t think too much, Farid is in the room too.” That jolted Reborn back to awareness. He had forgotten his Daughter was there too and he was the one who brought her in. _**“Daddy needs to go back to work, baby girl. So let’s help him pack up and then send him off.”**_

  
He followed Iolanthe and Farid when they headed to the walk-in closet and saw them neatly but efficiently packing his clothes and other stuff in a suitcase Iolanthe made specially for him. He had participated in the process and naturally the suitcase could only be opened by him, using his Flames. Needless to be said, Farid and Iolanthe had one of the same too. He left them to their devices knowing very well that his clothing weren’t the only thing they would pack and went down the stairs to the Family room. He stopped before one of the big frames hung on the walls and called.

  
“Sirius Black.”

  
The portrait had been moved from the Black Home and Iolanthe placed it in the Family room so the man was aware of what they were doing most of time; after all, they basically did everything in the Family Room except eat and sleep. The man with the shaggy mane boisterously appeared singing some weird song and holding a glass of what looked like beer. Reborn had no idea if portraits could get drunk but Sirius really looked the part. A resigned Remus Lupin followed behind, obviously acting like a mother hen, taking care of Sirius’ messes. Reborn wondered if they had gone to other portraits to do some Chaos.

  
“Oh, it’s godson-in-law. So rare for you to call.” Portrait Sirius cheerfully said. The beer sloshed from his erratic movements and the man almost fell down if it weren’t for portrait Lupin holding him. Really, the man was a bad influence for his Daughter with his actions but the cheerful disposition was needed in the big household.

  
“I’m leaving.” Reborn said though perhaps his words were a bit too straightforward as both men paused and looked at him with dead serious eyes forgetting all about their merry behavior.

  
“Right, Remus, I think I heard wrong.” Portrait Sirius voice sounded very grave.

  
“Not wrong, Sirius.” The amber eyes of portrait Lupin shone brightly while fixing them on the petite form of Reborn.

  
If both men weren’t mere portraits, Reborn was sure they would have ganged up on him and probably beaten the shit out of him. Of course, that’s if he let them. But the point was that Sirius Black and Remus Lupin were extremely protective of Iolanthe and Farid. If Reborn admitted that he was a daughter’s fool then the men in front of him looked as if they had a daughter con. The Arcobaleno inwardly sighed; he wasn’t sure if he should envy Iolanthe or not for having Family members like these two.

  
“I’m going back to work and will be leaving for a period of time.” Reborn elucidated least he earned the evil eye from the two men.

  
“Oh! Having said that before!” Portrait Sirius exclaimed. Iolanthe had offhandedly explained to them the dynamics of Reborn’s job schedule and even if they weren’t that happy, they could understand so after a moment of sulking, they let it go. “Where is my Firewhiskey, Moony? We need to send off our godson-in-law with a toast. Oh, here it is! Alright! Here’s for the Head of the Family going on his venture of earning our dear flowers' sustenance. Let him bring back tons of galleons, uh, wait, that’s not it… whatever, as long as he brings back the money. Cheers!”

  
“Cheers.” Portrait Remus also rose his glass and drank from his glass. Where did they get the alcohol from. Reborn was about to voice out that he had nothing to toast with until a small glass containing a shot of butterbeer appeared before him. The Hitman nodded at Mimi as thanks for her attentiveness.

  
“Cheers.” He said and drained the glass in one gulp, it was really just one gulp as his body couldn’t even handle the meagre alcohol in a butterbeer.

  
“And here I thought you were doing something important, instead you are getting drunk with Sirius and Remus.” Iolanthe suddenly said coming down the stairs, Farid beside her holding back her laugh, a suitcase silently floating behind them.

  
“I’m not drunk.” Reborn protested. It was only one shot!

  
“Sure you are not.” Iolanthe grinned noticing the slight flush in his cheeks. They hadn’t had the opportunity to actually get drunk so she didn’t know if he could hold his alcohol well back when he had his normal body. Yet with his toddler one, he was like a House-elf, not able to stand even butterbeer. Actually, he looked extremely adorable with his pinkish cheeks on his chubby face that she couldn’t hold back and picked him up to plant a loud kiss on his lips.

  
“Such indecency! There are kids present!” Portrait Sirius yelled scandalized.

  
“Are you talking about yourself?” Iolanthe savagely asked. “Farid doesn’t seem to mind.” She pointed at the girl who was giggling and peeking at them from between the fingers she had used to ‘cover’ her eyes. That made portrait Sirius pout. “Ok, the men have already done their send-off, it’s time for us women.”

  
Hand in hand, the family of three made their way to the front of the house. There, Farid stopped and shyly gave Reborn a pendant. Looking at it, Reborn was…

  
“Is this your fang?” He asked incredulous to the girl who nodded. He was aware that she had a fang missing -she lost it during one of their trainings- as if it was a normal tooth that would possibly grow back. He was just unsure as to why she would give it to him.

  
“Peverell Tradition.” Iolanthe interjected. “The Peverells are a very old Family; from the times when being a wanderer Wizard was normal. In order to remember their home while travelling, they would normally carry a token. To those who had a partner and kids, then the family would give a token so they could be remembered. It’s pretty symbolic and I know that we can get in touch with today’s technology but we wanted to do this. So, Farid decided to gift you her first lost tooth. Her fang.”

  
Reborn nodded in understanding. He had learned about the Black and Potter Traditions yet it was his first time hearing about a Peverell one. Never mind about his courtship gift; that was a once-in-a-lifetime event, he supposed. After getting a tight hug and a “ _ **Come back soon and take care”** _from Farid, he walked out of the house together with Iolanthe who remained silent all the way until the entrance of the copse of woods that hid the Potter Home. She took out the shrunk suitcase and placed it on his palm.

  
“I wasn’t planning to give you something and with the last minute news, there wasn’t anything I could prepare.” She nervously explained.

  
Reborn couldn’t let this chance slip away seeing her all flustered. “I would be happy if you put your underwear in my suitcase.”

  
“Renato!” She chided while furiously blushing. “I considered that…” She then confessed in a really low voice which he heard and couldn’t help but laugh. “But no,” she coughed, “there is no underwear. Though there is something I put in your suitcase so you can remember me.”

  
“There is no way I can forget you, Iolanthe.” He smirked with an expression no toddler could have on their face making her shyly cover her face and laugh nervously. She knew she shouldn’t have spoiled him! But well, the ‘damage’ was done, no need to regret.

  
Coughing again, she earnestly looked at him. “Take care. If you have time, write to Farid as I’m sure she will miss you a lot.”

  
“What about you?” He didn’t know since when he had created some sort of dependency on her. Or maybe he was just trying to get proof that it was all real.

  
Crouching in front of him uncaring if he would like her action or not, she took him into her arms. Breathing into the scent that was him, a bit of gunpowder and the sweetness that came from his toddler body totally different of the smell of gunpowder and musk of his original form, she felt she already missed him. But she wouldn’t say it. That would just elevate his conceitedness and make him lower his guard which would be fatal in his line of work. “We will be waiting for you, so don’t dare to go die and leave me a widow raising your kid!”

  
Her words stunned him a bit before laughing. Without much thought, he grabbed her face and gave her a kiss not appropriate between a toddler and an adult. He didn’t care though, she was his Wife. He left her in a daze and ran away towards the Black Cottage where he would use the Floo to travel to London and from there back to Italy.

 

…

 

The Hall in the Vongola Mansion was filled to the brim with Mafiosi. Everybody had given Vongola Nono his condolences and then walked to their seats to wait for the service. The death of Daniela Vongola, the Ottavo was an important event. Just recently the older son of Timoteo Vongola had died in a gunfight, then his Mother died. It must have been hard for Nono. Of course, there were those who were waiting for something to happen in the wake of these events. Many were already restless seeing as Nono hadn’t named the successor for Decimo and wondered what Nono was waiting for.

  
The door opened and in came the figure of the Sun Arcobaleno, Reborn. The Hitman didn’t offer his condolences to Nono like the others did but directly went towards the case that held Daniela’s body. A minute later, he nodded at Nono and sat down. Moments later, someone casually sat beside him and Reborn didn’t need to turn to know it was stupid-Dino. Neither spoke and waited for Nono to begin the service. Finally, Timoteo asked everybody to sit and gave his words towards the crowd thanking them for coming. As her only son, he spoke a bit about her. Then Massimo and Federico also shared a few anecdotes about their grandmother.

  
That encouraged others who knew Daniela to share tidbits about her life too. It was a simple and touching event if it weren’t for some tales recounting about how she beat this guy, killed this other one, blackmailed that one. Someone even told how she easily broke into his mansion to beat the shit out of him. If the guy wasn’t smiling many would think he was complaining instead. All in all it was another typical Mafia funeral. After their last goodbye to the Ottavo, the Mafiosi started streaming out of the place to go back to their Mafia life; after all, one day you would be alive and the next you wouldn’t.

  
When almost everybody was gone, Nono gave a look at Reborn letting the latter know they needed to talk.

  
“Reborn.” Dino gathered his courage and called out for his tutor. Well, ex-tutor. Reborn noticed Dino had somewhat changed in the short time he hadn’t seen him. He didn’t look as indecisive as before and carried himself with more confidence.

  
“You need to contact Iolanthe for your debt stupid-Dino.” Was all Reborn told him before walking out of the Hall and towards Nono’s office.

  
Dino bitterly chuckled. He wanted to ask if the Hitman was ok as he knew Daniela was the reason Reborn was part of the Vongola. Though it seemed he had worried for nothing, it was impossible for that evil little guy to be sad over someone’s death. Maybe only her… Dino’s thought was interrupted when Romario, his right-hand, approached and whispered something to him. Dino’s expression changed. “We go back.” He commanded and left the premises of the Vongola Mansion, driving not that far away and into the Varia Headquarters.

  
In Nono’s study, Reborn stared at the sealed black box in front of him. It was tightly shut that it seemed impossible to open.

  
“What’s this?” The Hitman asked Nono.

  
“My Mother left it for your Wife. I have no idea what it is and I can’t open it.”

  
_Sky Flames,_ Reborn thought. He had no idea how Daniela was able to place her Flames inside a box before dying and he didn’t want to pry too much either. This was for his Wife to experiment with. Nodding, Reborn took the box. “I will pass it to her as soon as possible.” He had no intention of sharing his thoughts with Nono. And the old man obviously was aware of it when Reborn didn’t mention anything after that.

  
“I am aware you changed the contract, too.” Nono began. He wasn’t upset about it. He wasn’t delusional to think he would be able to tie the strongest Hitman to his Famiglia and it was surprising to him that the Arcobaleno had actually done so on his own volition. Though it seemed that he had a change of mind and Nono attributed it to Iolanthe Potter, Reborn’s Wife. The woman was still a mystery to Nono even with their short meeting and her reassurance that she wouldn’t meddle with the Mafia World.

  
Nodding again, Reborn said, “Iolanthe said my meagre salary is still necessary so I need to keep breaking my back working.”

  
Nono wasn’t expecting that reply and he chortled before coughing to hide his laugh. “She really said that?”

  
“She is a wealthy tyrant, Timoteo. She speaks about buying a plane and just recently spent a fortune buying Dino’s properties to gift them to him.”

  
If Timoteo hadn’t noticed the glimmer of fondness while talking about Iolanthe Potter in Reborn’s eyes, the old man would have thought the Hitman was being bullied by his Wife. Nono inwardly sighed and thought his Mother was right; there was no way to separate those two and perhaps only death would be able to. Though something told him not even in the face of death they would separate. But well, those thoughts were inconsequential at the moment.

  
“I have no objections with the new contract.” Nono stated getting the conversation back on track. “I also have a job for you.”

  
Forgetting all about the merry atmosphere from before, the two got down to business and talked until late at night.

  
With a _kacha_ , the door of an apartment in the suburbs of Sicily opened letting in a toddler who locked the door as soon as he was in. Taking off his fedora, he sighed looking around at the apartment that felt a bit unfamiliar to him. It had been a long time since he had put a foot in it. He had thought of spending the night in the Black House in front of the Vongola but for some reason he didn’t want to and decided to come back to his old apartment. Going back to living alone as if he was still a bachelor was weird but that also let him easily enter the mentality of a cold-blooded Hitman.

  
From then on, his only focus was his job. Though his thoughts strayed when he noticed the token Iolanthe had put in his suitcase. He was dejected as it was not her underwear but he still smiled seeing the crystal ball with two people dancing in it, a woman and a man. It was Luna Lovegood’s souvenir from the Bermuda Triangle and more than before he was convinced the witch was a Seer as he had learned existed when he educated himself with Iolanthe’s books. The figures had no faces and the hair was different but the clothes were the exact same Iolanthe and him had worn for the Potter courtship gift.

  
Well, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge a bit with memories of his Wife for the night and go back to being a Hitman the following day.  
  


 

  
  



	40. Blood is thicker than water... ?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last happenings of the year. 
> 
> A special appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna explain a bit about the title. Blood is thicker than water as you may know means than family ties are stronger than friendship or love ties.
> 
> Most often than not it's true but in some other cases it's not. The moment you read this saying in the chapter keep in mind that it is a prelude of what is to come... The ritual in the Winter Solstice is an important part of the story because it gives glimpses of what can happen to my characters in the future. Enough spoilers said. 
> 
> While writing this chapter I made a timeline with the year each kid from the next generation was born. Most didn't have a specific year so I had to improvise that's why we see two babies here! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading.

* * *

 

 

A snake slithered around the room where eight people were gathered for a meeting. For the most part nobody paid attention to it while they spoke about matters of the Ministry until the bushy-haired witch jumped for the nth time when the snake passed by her feet.

 ** _ ** _“Farid, darling, you promised to behave.”_**_**  Iolanthe sighed making the snake stop her roaming. If snakes could pout, then this one would be doing so. It was not her fault the bushy-haired witch was afraid of snakes. But being the good girl-snake she was, she made her way towards Iolanthe and comfortably coiled around her neck. Farid received a scratch and she hissed in pleasure. “Back to the topic.” Iolanthe addressed the others.

Marcus Flint coughed and continued. “The Department agrees to the new project and are waiting for more guidelines to start implementing it. What is holding us back is the lack of communication between us and MacMillan. We were vague in our inquiry about how the relationship between other countries and ours was since we didn’t want to disclose much about the project lest it be leaked. The man hasn’t replied and that was two weeks ago.”

“That MacMillan is a walking disaster.” Draco sneered. He had never seen someone as useless as that guy. “Who even appointed him as delegate of the ICW?”

“The Wizengamot did.” Hermione interjected. “It was either him or Gerard Jones. The Wizengamot voted for the Pureblood one.” She said, disgruntled. The only person older than the others around gave Hermione a side glance and went back to sipping his tea.

“Neither are good.” Gemma Farley, the new addition to their group, commented. “Jones wasn’t elected actually because he had a hidden problem with gambling many years ago. It was swept under the rug but it was brought up before the voting. The only reason MacMillan was chosen was because there really wasn’t another option. Although being a delegate in the ICW sounds fancy and really important, it’s not the same as being part of the Wizengamot.”

True to her fame of being the smartest witch of her year, Hermione caught Gemma’s thought. “In the ICW is difficult to manipulate the idea of others as they are from different countries thus different points of view. Instead in the Wizengamot one can find more like minded people for support and easily earn power.” Gemma gave Hermione a small smile.

“MacMillan has to go.” Iolanthe sentenced. “The problem is that sacking someone from the ICW is harder than staying awake in History class.” Everybody except for Hermione and Lucius Malfoy nodded agreeing with Iolanthe’s point.

“Use your contacts, Potter.” Lucius advised putting his cup on the saucer.

“My contacts?” She had just begun dabbing in politics, from where would she take out contacts?

“We made some friends during the Tri Wizard Tournament.” Luna suddenly said, enlightening everybody who was part of the event.

“I…” Iolanthe was ashamed to admit she didn’t make any friends. She only knew Viktor and Fleur because the first considered her his Quidditch rival and the second was married to Bill.

“I don’t know about the people in Beauxbatons but I know some people from Durmstrang…” Hermione trailed off noticing the looks she was receiving, as if she was a rare species about to go extinct. It was widely known that Durmstrang Institute forbid Muggleborn students from entering so they never would have thought that it was actually the Muggleborn in the group that knew people in Durmstrang. “Viktor presented some of his friends to me.” Hermione weakly justified herself.

“Alright,” Iolanthe suddenly said saving Hermione from being asked questions that would delay the meeting. “Please contact whoever you can reach and explain a bit of the situation. Perhaps instead of working from our side, there would be better results if we directly collaborate with the outside.” She had understood Lucius meaning of using her contacts so she relayed her thoughts. Hermione nodded and furiously scribbled on a sheet of parchment she had prepared.

They also spoke about the reactions that still hadn’t subsided even after almost a month of the first Wizengamot meeting Iolanthe attended. The papers had been frantic for days with scandalized headlines of her role in reinstating Lucius Malfoy to the Wizengamot and making him part of the Ministry he was supposed to be banned from entering. Never once Iolanthe responded to any article written about her despite the subtle and not so subtle request/demand for an explanation. She had been happily -or maybe not so much with all the throwing up- enjoying her pregnancy and excitedly noticing her lower abdomen was showing signs of having a baby inside.

Though that was most likely her imagination as she was still flat.

The other party also involved in the articles was as unmoving as a mountain. Nobody knew where Lucius Malfoy was residing and even if letters could reach him, the Wards in the Black Cottage prevented them from entering unless it was from someone they actually knew. With a tweak or two, the Wards in the cottage recognized those owls of people who really meant no harm to the couple. They knew what was being written about them. The first articles were full of speculation, then they turned aggressive for a few days and lately there were not many of them but some articles seemed to have reached some sort of imaginary conclusion regarding the reason why Iolanthe and Lucius were working together.

There was the typical and old: Iolanthe Potter is becoming the new Dark Lady. There was the other that concluded she was under Imperius -completely forgetting Lucius had no wand. Others affirmed it was Lucius under Imperius. Then there were two that almost made Iolanthe hex the person who wrote that article to the moon. That she was the long lost daughter of Lucius Malfoy and the worst, that she was having an affair with him. Luckily, the man in question had no reactions to those articles and that deflated her bad mood quickly.

The fact that he still hexed Draco until he was begging for mercy when he jokingly called her ‘step-mother’ proved she was still mad at those reporters. Draco learned the lesson and she vented a bit. Everyone was happy.

With their meeting coming to an end, the ones who needed to quickly leave, left. Those who had no qualms in staying in the Black Home in London -the official meeting place-, stayed. Draco quickly made his way to the Potions lab as he had gotten a permanent job with a small yet famous apothecary who was paying him a nice sum for his potions. Astoria had a free day from her almost over Healing Course and was soon going to begin a one-year internship and luckily get hired in St. Mungos where she was doing her internship. Luna said she wanted to ‘bond’ with the Creatures in the basement and would leave after dinner. Hermione claimed she needed to speak to Iolanthe about their other project.

Iolanthe didn’t mind Hermione’s excuses to stay. Years of friendship couldn’t be erased like that, at least not in their case where there hadn’t been any critical betrayal or fight between them. It had only been a gradual separation. Working together had helped them recover that relationship they enjoyed before. And with Hermione’s interest in Farid plus the discovery of Iolanthe’s pregnancy, the bushy-haired witch latched onto Iolanthe like a tick. It was cute, in Iolanthe’s humble opinion. Hermione acted like a doting aunt/concerned older sister to Farid and Iolanthe, respectively.

As they talked about the progress in the Peverell castle and the need to take a look to begin thinking about the second stage of the project, an owl elegantly flew to them and landed on the back of Iolanthe’s armchair. The snake, Farid, who had been lazing around Iolanthe’s neck perked up and quickly made her way down to slowly but surely turn back to her human form. The owl had been a present from her Mom so she could communicate with Dad. Their letters were very stilted since he was working but that didn’t stop the enthusiasm in the girl for receiving one. She hurriedly untied the letter from the well-behaved owl and tore open the envelope to read.

Farid had been lately learning written English after she was done learning the sign language her Dad had created for her. Language that Luna easily learned and was already happily communicating with Farid. Some words in the letter were still unknown for the girl so she asked for help from her Mom. As soon as Iolanthe read the missive, her expression changed.

“Very well, Timoteo Vongola, very well done.” Iolanthe mumbled then turned to Farid. **_**_“It’s highly possible that Dad won’t be coming back for Christmas, Farid.”_**_**

Farid had somewhat understood those lines but she wanted to make sure with her Mom. With confirmation, the girl looked devastated and on the verge of crying. Her Mom had told her that they were going to do something special in Yule that needed her Dad’s participation too, so she had been looking forward to the day with all her might only for her hopes to be mercilessly destroyed with a letter. Seeing her Daughter’s expression, Iolanthe couldn’t help her heart going to the girl and tightly hugged her.

 ** _ ** _“There, there, don’t be too sad. We’ll think of something and make your old Dad see you for the Holidays he likes it or not.”_**_**  Iolanthe promised the girl. Because she wasn’t going to make her Daughter’s first Christmas a sad one just because her Husband wasn’t doing his job properly and needed more time for it. Iolanthe rarely got angry at Reborn but when she did…

“Is something the matter?” Hermione cautiously asked seeing the somber mood between Mother and Daughter.

Only then Iolanthe was reminded they had company. Hermione looked like she wanted to ask more very badly but was still restraining herself as if she still had no right to ask. Iolanthe inwardly sighed. It seemed that she was still naïve to think that their relationship would still go back to before; no, it was like before yet they had grown up and become more sensible, more tactful. Iolanthe just didn’t know if it was good or not. She could only get used to it and then perhaps talk about it with her later on.

“It’s nothing much, we had plans to spend Yule and Christmas together with my Husband but it seems he won’t be able to make it due to his job.” Iolanthe explained while patting Farid’s back who refused to cry but was still clinging to her for dear life.

“Oh.” There was nothing Hermione could say to that. She guessed Iolanthe and her Husband’s relationship was good (she didn’t know it was arranged) and that they had truly been looking forward to spend time as a Family. Hermione had found her parents but didn’t have the heart to return their memories so for all intents and purposes she was an orphan and her family had become the Weasleys. She had been spending all the Holidays with them so she had no idea how Iolanthe planned her Holidays. “You could… you could both come to the Weasleys…” She still offered. The Weasleys were only aware of Iolanthe’s marriage but not about her daughter. Hermione didn’t want to disclose that information without Iolanthe’s permission. As such, she was cautious of the reaction they would have to Farid.

Silence fell in the room. Hermione didn’t know what Iolanthe was thinking, if she was even contemplating her idea or not.

“Hermione, do you think the Weasleys would like to travel to Italy?”

 

…

 

Reborn once again entered his solitary apartment. A wall was full of pictures, notes and strings connecting one to another. If a private investigator saw that wall, they would feel ashamed for their half-assed way of doing their job. That’s right, Reborn was investigating. Nono had received intel that the death of Enrico was not an accident spawned from the messy gunfight he was involved in but a premeditated murder. If the intel was true then someone was targeting the Vongola and his other two sons would be the next in the list or even Nono himself.

For a month Reborn had been investigating all the leads he got, however, they all turned out to be dead ends. Whoever planned the murder of Enrico Vongola was either a professional or really good at covering their tracks. Many leads had taken him to many different Famiglias that opposed the Vongola Famiglia or had horrible reputations but after investigating for a couple of days, Reborn always concluded it wasn’t them no matter how obvious the evidence could be. To Reborn evidence wasn’t everything. There was always something that discarded the suspicions, like the way the Famiglia acted or what they did before and after Enrico’s death. Something didn’t match.

There was one lead he always stopped himself from following because the truth behind it, if his intuition wasn’t lying to him, would open a pandora box. So no, better keep working with the loose ends and then give Nono a haphazard conclusion of the case.

Due to this, his time investigating had been prolonged and with Christmas in less than a week, he was surer and surer he wouldn’t be able to return to Iolanthe and Farid. He had sent a letter letting them know but he hadn’t received any reply so he surmised his Wife was mad at him to heaven and above. Or perhaps she was too busy with Wizengamot stuff. He had read some articles posted in the Magical Italian newspaper about what had happened after she entered the Wizengamot. He was confident she would perfectly deal with all those articles so he wasn’t worried, though that didn’t mean he hoped she would take measures to prevent something extreme happening.

Anyway, perhaps he should go out to eat. He wasn’t in the mood to cook.

Turning, his eyes caught a glimpse of the black box Daniela had left for his Wife. He was going to send it together with his first letter but decided not to. With time, he had somehow forgotten about it. Maybe he should send it with a note of apology to her. With a plan in mind, he sat down to write that note. At the end, he felt like kicking himself for being stupid. He had House-elves to send things for him yet he never used them! Well, it wasn’t his fault that his habits hadn’t changed one bit; even sending letters by owl felt weird to him. But well, he would remedy that.

“Mimi.” He called out and waited. Sincerely, he didn’t know if the House-elf would appear being so far from Britain yet his worries were unfounded when a moment later, she appeared.

“Master!” And she looked upset and angry at him. The hands on hips pose was very telling.

“Uh, I need to give something to Iolanthe.” He wasn’t afraid of Mimi, he was afraid Mimi was angry at him because of Iolanthe.

“Master shoulds be giving this to Mistress personally.” Mimi said eyeing the black box being offered to her but not taking it. “Mistress and friends bes arriving yesterday to Black House and bes mad to not be finding you there.” Reborn was stunned by what he was hearing. Iolanthe was in Italy? “Mistress almost throttles Mr. Non Bungalow asking where yous been.”

Non Bungalow? Did she mean Nono? Reborn’s lips twitched.

“Alright.” He sighed stopping himself from laughing. “Is Iolanthe that angry?” Heck, she even dared to go catfight with Timoteo, of course she was angry. Though he would have loved to see her in action. Who knows if Nono was missing a few clumps of hair and part of his moustache after suffering under Iolanthe’s hands.

“Master bes giving this to Mistress personally.” Mimi repeated and without any prompt, she grabbed her Master and Disapparated together with him.

Reborn was never a romantic man. It was more concrete to say he got what he wanted and his lovers got what they wanted and they were fine with that. Since he married, his romanticism didn’t show up though he still tried. His Wife was the only woman with whom he had danced, to whom he had sung and was the Mother of his child. With a bit of thought, he had discovered he had first treated her as his Sky with free-pass to flirt with and with time became an intimate friend. They had spent a very vigorous week when he realized he could see anyone, even his kids cry, except her. He was possessive of, and had a soft spot for her.

His world didn’t revolve around her but she was a very important part of it.

As such, he had thought that after a month of not seeing each other, they would have a touching reunion just the two of them and not a dozen pair of eyes gazing at him as if he wasn’t supposed to be there. He could notice a sea of red-hairs with a sporadic blonde and the rare brunettes. If he wasn’t mistaken, they must be the Weasleys, the Malfoys and the respective partners. Even Andromeda was present. Seriously, how many people Iolanthe brought?

 ** _ ** _“Dad!”_**_**  A hissy word took him out of his stupor and was almost tackled by Farid who had launched herself to him. Soon, he noticed there was another small body latched to him. Turning he noticed a spiky tuft of hair that resembled his and he didn’t need to be a genius to know it was Teddy. He was still baffled as to why this kid would suddenly take liberties with him; they weren't close, at all.

That was all Farid’s fault who spent the day before together with Teddy going around exploring the immense Black House and with whom had an amazing rapport. It was even more astounding the fact that Teddy knew what Farid was saying without really knowing Parsel. It was a mystery to the adults. Either way, the girl had spent the whole day talking about what she had learned from her Dad that Teddy somehow became attached to the idea of Reborn. That’s why the moment he saw him, he didn’t doubt in going to give Reborn some love.

Though the scene was soon broken by the cry of two babies and all the attention went from him to the two troublemakers.

The dining room was very spacious and able to accommodate all the people there. The numerous Weasley Family took up most of the space yet that only made it somewhat livelier. Thinking back to that time Astoria had told Reborn Iolanthe wanted to have many kids, he couldn’t help but imagine what she wanted was something similar to what was happening in front of him. However, he still felt there was something wrong in the room, he just didn’t know what.

 ** _ ** _“Right, Dad! Come! We are about to eat and Mom promised to explain what I need to do to become your Daughter and-”_**_**  Farid excitedly said while pulling on Reborn’s hand only to be cut off when she felt she couldn’t continue walking anymore.

Reborn for his part felt the strong repulsive force and to avoid hurting himself and Farid, he let her go only to fully suffer the strength of the repulsion which threw him in the air. If he weren’t agile and nimble enough, he would have rolled down the floor like a ragdoll terribly embarrassing himself. Instead, he very classily did a backflip and landed on his feet. The people near him fell silent witnessing such acrobatics.

“Don’t feel bad, pal. You are not the only one who suffered from Iolanthe’s Magic.” One of the redhaired men say with sympathy.

“What’s going on?” Reborn asked puzzled. He finally knew what was wrong in the dining room. All the men were seated as far away as possible from Iolanthe.

“Iolanthe is showing extreme symptoms with her pregnancy.” Draco primly informed being also one of the victims of Iolanthe’s Magic. “No man can approach her in a radius of five meters. Of course, kids aren’t included.” Teddy was perfectly able to get near her.

“But I’m…” Right, better not finish that sentence.

Either way, Draco was able to guess his thought. “You are the one who left her pregnant. Change of body or not, her Magic considers you a man.”

Well, that was nice to hear but… his gaze travelled to the form of his Wife. She looked better, not sporting any pallor though she had slimmed down. She was widely smiling while cautiously carrying one of the babies that had been fussing a moment ago. There was awkwardness in her movements and more often than not she had an expression as if not knowing what to do yet the women around her patiently instructed her on how to hold the baby and what to do if it got fussy.

“What’s this you have in your arms?” A man with a ghastly scar on his face suddenly asked pointing at the black box Reborn was still carrying.

“Oh, something for Iolanthe.” Reborn replied. Seeing as he was unable to approach, her then he might as well get comfortable on the other end of the table and sat at one of the empty chairs there with Farid and Teddy unabashedly climbing onto the laps of any man that was seated at either side of Reborn.

“The pattern in the box is very curious, mind if I have a look? I am a Curse-Breaker.” With that statement, Reborn could finally identify who this man was. William ‘Bill’ Weasley, the oldest of the Weasley sons. Iolanthe had given him a run down of the members of the family yet wasn’t able to put a face to the name and few characteristics. Though, Iolanthe hadn’t told him Bill Weasley was extremely scarred.

“Go ahead.” Reborn complied. The box couldn’t be opened anyway and he had no idea how- __clack__ … Not even a second after Bill touched the box, it suddenly unraveled itself and a fiery Flame inundated that end of the table making everybody jerk back due to the intensity. Draco and Mr. Weasley covering Farid and Teddy from it.

“Close it, Bill! It’s flowing out!” Bill was fast and the box was closed the next second. The room was rendered into silence and stillness which was broken by the whimpers of both babies and then the mothers who reached towards them in an attempt to sooth them. The box quietly floated to the other end of the table and right in front of Iolanthe. “This is from Daniela?” She asked looking at Reborn who nodded. “Float this down to the cabin, Mimi. Don’t touch it.”

The House-elf nodded and did as told.

“Right,” the Weasley matriarch suddenly clapped. “Now that everybody is here then it’s best to start eating.”

As soon as she said that, several dishes appeared on the table courtesy of the House-elves that had arrived to help with dinner. With food in front, the noise elevated not only from those talking to each other but from the cutlery too. The side with women was very lively compared to the side which had men since it looked as if everybody wanted to know about Reborn but were not sure if they had to ask and the only brave soul was actually George who had no qualms in regaling stories about young Iolanthe to Reborn.

To Reborn it was kind of painful to listen to. His Wife back then was too reckless, too naïve, too unprepared and too lucky. He didn’t want to think about how she was too thin that looked like any wind would blow her away because he was aware who to blame for that. Yet, the fact that she had to work as some sort of Security Guard in her own school was deplorable. Not for her but for the useless teachers and completely inadequate Headmaster who was the person in charge of hiring those teachers. Honestly, it was a miracle Iolanthe made it out… somewhat alive from all that. She did die at the end of it all though that was a point he didn’t want to touch.

And so George, by the end of dinner and some drinks that had been served for the men while the women had retreated to the huge living room for tea and gossip, was recounting about Iolanthe’s Fourth Year and his Sixth Year.

“Our little Iolanthe had grown up by that year.” George commented with a roguish smile. Reborn had noticed how this George -yes, the one from that cringy firework- oftentimes talked in plural. The Arcobaleno would have still been in the clouds if it wasn’t for Draco, who was sitting beside him, telling him in a whisper that George used to have a twin, Fred, who died in war. “Fred had to hound her for a day so she could accept going to the Ball with him.” His smile wavered a bit but he managed to maintain it.

Only then, Reborn paid more attention to what George was saying. Was he going to hear about the so-called crush Iolanthe mentioned but refused to speak about?

“All the Gryffindors thought they were a couple.” Ron Weasley interjected a bit drunk from the Firewhiskey Reborn wasn’t allowed to touch, not even sniff. “It resulted that Fred was only buttering up to her so they could be business partners. I thought it was a bit shrewd on Fred’s part; Iolanthe would have easily approved to their partnership.”

Seeing the need to defend his twin, George remarked. “He liked her, alright… he just never discovered that as we mostly treated her as our younger sister. He still made fireworks thinking of her.” And so Reborn finally knew why the firework had hearts and all.

That resulted in an argument between the two brothers. The adults, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy -who had surprisingly accepted to come with his Wife-, were awkwardly making conversation in the side with the help of Bill. There were two Weasleys missing, the dragon caretaker Charlie and Percy who was spending some days with his girlfriend, so the men side was scarce.

“Iolanthe’s love life was as arid as a desert. Let’s not talk about your twin who didn’t even realized his feelings but also her failed crush on Blaise.” The loud voice of Draco cut off all the conversations around. Nobody needed to be a genius to notice he was drunk and very talkative. “Tall, handsome, dark and… Italian Blaise Zabini.” He smirked side glancing at Reborn.

Reborn wasn’t jealous, of course not. He was just a bit -greatly, extremely- unhappy to know that Iolanthe’s famous crush was Italian. Did that mean that maybe she only liked Reborn because he was Italian as well? Was he some sort of replacement?

“Though that didn’t end well.” Draco continued. “After a lone steamy rendezvous in a broom closet, they were never seen together again. That damn Blaise couldn’t shut up talking about her and her voice that-”

Poor Draco couldn’t even finish his tale when he was knocked out cold by a hex. Mr. Malfoy had no qualms in leaving his son on the cold floor. Who told him to spill out Iolanthe’s secrets in front of her Husband when she was nearby and able to hear him? His son was a hazard when drunk. The men turned and saw the object of their gossips standing by the archway with her wand in hand and a murderous expression on her face. The ones who had experienced their Wives being pregnant submissively ducked their heads and remained silent. The only one without a clue, Ron, just imitated the others.

Luckily, she said nothing and just quietly levitated her Husband out of the room. Reborn had the tact not to make a sound, no matter how embarrassing his situation was. If the looks of sympathy being directed at him from the others was something to go by, then it was in his best interest to go along her desires and he even contemplated apologizing. What for? He didn’t know but it never hurt to try. He even promised himself not to make a peep about her past crush. When she walked out of the House, he instantly surmised they were going to the cabin. Figures Iolanthe wouldn’t stay in the main House even if there were guests.

The walk reminded him of the time they strolled around the garden under the moonlight. Back then he teased and flirted with her nonstop that it was a wonder they didn’t went at it in the middle of the flowers. Floating five meters behind her was not like that time yet he still had the audacity to ogle his Wife’s body sashaying on the gravel path. His keen eyes noticed that although she had slimmed down, her hips had widened a bit creating an even more marvelous sight of that perky ass of hers. Sigh, the misfortune of having a toddler body, again.

His thoughts were interrupted by her spell vanishing and him falling down. He still landed on his feet and watched her stepping inside the cabin. Cautiously, he took a step forward and felt no repulsion. The cabin was not big, the space very limited, so maneuvering around it just to stay outside the five meter boundary her Magic had created was not something he wanted to do. Nonetheless, aware of her own problem, Iolanthe sat far inside the cabin, where the kitchen and table were and moved a chair even further back to let her Husband get inside.

“Are you done with your job?” She asked as soon as she saw him taking a seat on the furthest armchair.

“Almost.” Reborn replied. It was obvious he didn’t want her to get involved in messy Mafia stuff so she didn’t pry.

“Can you come for Farid’s adoption ritual?”

“Don’t you want me to stay?” He asked feeling her question was a bit wrong.

“Are you going to stay?” She countered.

Reborn sighed. “Ok, let’s be honest here. Are you angry at me?” Because no matter how he heard it, she was a bit defensive and he felt he hadn’t done anything wrong. True, he would have most likely missed his Daughter’s adoption ritual which could only be postponed for a later date. He had sent a letter saying his job had prolonged but never he had implied he wouldn’t come back home, maybe just delayed. Or at least he thought he didn’t. So there was no need for Iolanthe to be acting like she was.

Iolanthe pursed her lips. For some reason, having her Husband in front of her helped her see things clearer. She was aware that her Magic was being problematic and that her moods have been changing. She almost lashed out against a reporter that kept questioning her actions when she went to her second Wizengamot session if it wasn’t for Draco who forcefully pulled her all the way to the Fireplaces. However, seeing the small figure of her Husband somewhat gave her some form of security and she didn’t know how that came to be. So, perhaps saying she was angry at him was incorrect; it would be better to say she missed him so badly she was in a bad mood that got enhanced due to her pregnancy hormones.

“I missed you, Renato.” She said looking at him with longing. The expression startled Reborn and left him with no way to answer. “Your child is making me grumpy and my Magic won’t allow me to get near you.” And just what he needed, a crying Iolanthe. He helplessly glanced at Leon who quietly made his way to Iolanthe, a napkin in his tail. He even sacrificed himself and turned into a doll-like Reborn for her.

And that’s how Farid found them when she ran her way from the main House to the cabin where she was staying with her Mom. Mom who was bitterly crying and hugging a doll-Reborn while the original was sitting near the door with a what-should-I-do expression. For her part, Farid wasn’t as flustered as Reborn. **_**_“Why is Mom crying this time?”_**_**  At most she was exasperated and acted as if she had seen it all.

Noticing the tone Farid was using, calmed Reborn a bit and told him that it was an often occurrence so there was no need to start apologizing and promising the stars and the moon to her. “Mom can’t resist Dad and she’s ruing the fact she can’t hug me.”He got a smack on the face with the doll-Reborn for his cheek which made Farid laugh. That lightened the mood a lot and the family of three returned to normal except for the fact that Reborn couldn’t get close to his ladies. He even had to sleep on the couch while Iolanthe and Farid comfortably shared the bed. For the first time, Reborn tasted the couch without even having a fight with his Wife.

 

…

 

The Birch tree is considered the symbol of new beginnings, hope, new dawns and the promise of what is to come. The tree carries forever wisdom yet appears to be always young. Writing a promise or a wish on birch bark then keeping it safe and secret would fulfill it; burning it together with birch leaves would signify the start of any important new beginning or before a journey. Due to this, Iolanthe decided that the best wood to burn for the Yule Log Ceremony was Birch. It is said the wood has other powers like purification, protection and channeler of emotions but that was in the case of being used in other rituals. For Farid who was about to become an official Daughter of the Potter House through a ritual, then those aspects weren’t taken into account.

So far, papers and their feelings had already made them a family but to Iolanthe, the acceptance of Mother Magic was very important too. If not, how would have Draco being able to inherit the Prince House? That’s because Mother Magic had made him the ‘son’ of Severus Snape. As such, on the night of December 22nd, the Winter Solstice, a log of Birch was being burned by the wooden gazebo in the backyard. Farid had previously carved what she wanted Mother Magic to do for her on the log and she was now just waiting with closed eyes. Iolanthe and Reborn stood behind her, though still with a distance of five meters between them and watched how the Magic rose around Farid the more the log burned.

The Weasleys, the Malfoys, Andromeda and Teddy were witnessing from far away so as to not interrupt the process. The Weasleys were focused on Iolanthe and how she had changed, before she wouldn’t even have cared about those rituals and Traditions and whatnot but there she was, allowing her adopted Daughter to do one. Among them, Hermione was very curious about the process, Fleur was very supportive of all kind of Magics and Angelina -George’s partner- could only feel respect for Iolanthe.

In contrast, the Malfoys were focused on Reborn. They were never ones to believe all that was printed in The Prophet but they still held their suspicions towards this Lord Potter. They were aware that the man was dangerous but they didn’t know to what extent as nobody knew if he had any kind of Magick. According to Draco, only Iolanthe and possibly Luna Lovegood -who wasn’t able to go to Italy with them because she was spending it with the Scamanders- knew about it. Astoria was also curious. If only because she had never seen, heard or read about the Arcobaleno Curse. They weren't disappointed when some kind of Magick they couldn't recognize came out from the small body of Lord Potter. 

Time passed and the log finally burned completely, for a second it felt as if the world had stopped and Magic had accumulated over where the three were. From the outside it was unsure as to what was happening but the three people inside were experiencing something surreal, at least to Farid and Reborn.

‘What is it you want, child?’ a soothing, ethereal voice sounded in Farid’s mind. She wanted very much to reply but she couldn’t move her mouth. A chuckle like the tinkling of bells echoed. ‘Speak in your mind, I can hear your thoughts.’ The voice advised.

‘I want to be Mom and Dad’s daughter.’ Farid shyly thought.

‘Aren’t you their daughter already?’

‘Am I?’ Farid thought confused. If that was so, then why was she doing the ritual?

‘Magic is about belief, my child. You never considered yourself their daughter all this time?’ The voice was melodious yet there was some sort of ageing wisdom in it.

‘I did!’ Farid exclaimed then hesitated. ‘But I don’t look like them. Don’t children look somewhat like their parents?’

‘That’s because they share blood ties.’ The words made Farid deflate defeated. ‘Although blood is thicker than water, Family is not the same as family, my child.’

After imparting that tidbit of knowledge the voice disappeared and no matter how much Farid called for it, it never appeared again. Since she was young she couldn’t understand the meaning behind those words and thought that maybe the ritual had failed. If it had failed, did it mean she would never become Mom and Dad’s daughter? The thought sent her into a panic yet a wave of Magic and warmth inundated her calming her nerves and only then she started thinking. Even if the ritual had failed, Mom and Dad already thought of her as their daughter so she could only be their daughter. With her decision made, Farid lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, Iolanthe received the visit of a Supreme God, Death. It was a short visit with only a sentence ‘Your decision has long been made, but the choice is no longer yours.’ After that, she received an influx of images. Among them where of kids around the world who looked the same as how she was when she was a kid: empty, jaded and lost. There were other images that broke her heart completely but as Death said, the choice was no longer hers.

For his part, Reborn received memories that he was never supposed to see. After witnessing his bitter childhood up to the point where he killed his Father. Then it was all key moments from Iolanthe’s life. He saw how her Mother, Lily Potter, told her how much she loved her before sacrificing herself. The abuse she received when Iolanthe was a child, how she became an old soul that surprisingly kept the innocence and hope that her life would be better. Only to be suppressed over and over again with her life on the line, being told lies, being kept in the dark and finally her struggle to freedom, not only for herself but a whole community. He felt tears silently fall down his cheeks when she so bravely faced death and died with a small smile on her lips.

Farid’s life was a breeze compared to Iolanthe’s but he still felt his heart go to the child every time confusion veiled her eyes. She didn’t know why she was being treated the way she was. That, no matter how much she tried to appear like any other child, she was seen as a monster or something that didn’t deserved to be loved. As her name suggested, Farid, unique, it was her uniqueness that brought suffering to her and even with Iolanthe and him, she was being a little bit cautious as to how she should behave to be accepted. But as Iolanthe, she was still pure, still full of light.

‘You are a contradiction, Renato Sinclair.’ A voice sounded. It was that same voice Farid heard. ‘Your soul radiates light, brings comfort to others, means hope; yet it has been stained by the darkness of death. A darkness you willingly embraced because you thought there was no other path for you. Tell me, was that the only path?’

He didn’t doubt in his reply. ‘No.’

‘Do you know what you have to do?’

‘I don’t.’ He was being sincere, he didn’t, because at the end of it all…

‘You are afraid.’ That’s right, he was afraid. ‘There is time to learn, you will be given the chance. Don’t miss it.’

After the ritual, something changed between the three. Farid was more determined, Iolanthe was wiser and Reborn felt even closer to them.

The Christmas Holidays were spent in a cheerful mood. Of course, a house with lots of people in it was bound to be very noisy and cheerful. Reborn swiftly wrote his report for Nono concluding his investigation. That lead he abstained from investigating was buried in the back of his mind; after all, even if he was part of the Vongola, there were things he wouldn’t stick his hands in. His hands were only for his Wife, Wife he couldn’t touch during the week of Holidays. He could only see her going around learning about being the Mother of a baby with baby Fred and baby Victoire, son and daughter of George and Bill Weasley respectively.

He spent most of his time having little adventures with Farid and Teddy. There was once a prank war between them and George and Draco and Ron. The whole house resounded with screams of collateral victims and cackles of the perpetrators. It was put to a stop when Iolanthe roared as she was caught in a prank that put her upside down on the ceiling and her underwear was seen by everybody who went to take a look. Needless to say, all the adults were beaten black and blue by her while the kids were left facing the wall for an hour with no dessert for the rest of the year as punishment. No matter how much they whined and protested, they received the New Year without being able to taste the delicious pastries made by Iolanthe and Molly.

The New Year was bound to be a hectic one for them.

Though the first event they faced was when Andromeda decided she wasn’t able to take care of Teddy anymore.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thumbs up for you if you know who killed Enrico. :D


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe visits the Varia.
> 
> Foreigners arrived to the Black House in Italy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting the chapter yesterday... hehe... you must know my dear readers that I somehow ran out of written chapters so I had this chapter half-written by yesterday. I constantly get distracted with other things so I sometimes have no chance to write. But don't worry that you will always see the twice a week update!
> 
> Anyway, we continue with the wrapping up of events before entering the KHR timeline. Hopefully two more chapters before Reborn goes to Japan.
> 
> Curious fact about this chapter: the foreign Houses and people presented here are people who feature in another fic I am writing with Harry going to Durmstrang. With luck I will be posting it by the end of the year. 
> 
> I had fun reading your comment the previous chapter as to who you think killed Enrico Vongola. Sadly it was neither and in this chapter, there is a hint as to who it is! Good luck catching it!
> 
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

 

“Are you sure about it?”

Among the scarce people waiting for their flights in the Fontana-Rossa airport in Sicily, a peculiar group of redheads stood out. With the Holidays over, they decided to go back to Britain in the same way they had arrived at Italy, by plane. It was a marvelous experience for the Weasleys and very stressing for the Malfoys. Andromeda was even tightly holding Narcissa’s hand and looking at Iolanthe with a tired expression.

“I don’t doubt that you will take good care of him.” Was all Andromeda said in response to Iolanthe’s question; meaning, there was no doubt in her decision.

Andromeda’s fragile mind couldn’t take it any longer and she needed to rest. Seeing her grandson with the same ability her daughter used to possess, created an even heavier burden on her. In no way, she was shunting Teddy but she was aware that her mind was deteriorating and she was afraid she would hurt him in her state. So, it was best if the Godmother, Iolanthe, took care of him. Teddy was very good friends with Farid so he wouldn’t be alone at all.

Iolanthe had decided to stay more time in Italy due to the black box Daniela had left her. She wasn’t supposed to be investigating anything that had to do with Magic and that’s why she had Hermione to stay behind. Draco and Astoria were busy with other responsibilities back in Britain yet Draco imperiously sent a letter to Luna to park her airy self in Italy to keep Iolanthe company. It wasn’t that he doubted Hermione but Luna knew when to put Iolanthe in her place if she tried to hard. Hermione, and her budding new relationship with Iolanthe, couldn’t do that.

Bidding their farewells, only Iolanthe and Hermione were left in the departure area. It was late in the night, the best time to fly without being seen. Iolanthe had received special permission from Petal and Dew to fly on a broom to come and go from the airport. The group had spent a hectic night with some flying and the others Apparating to arrive at the airport so all Iolanthe wanted was drop dead on her bed and wake up until next month.

Sadly, the following morning she instantly got busy when she visited the Varia Headquarters. With Reborn gone to do who knows what under Nono’s order, Hermione was left with Farid and Teddy. The bushy-haired witch was more than happy to tutor Farid. With Farid understanding English, Hermione had no qualms in giving the girl lectures about the subject of the day, Herbology. Since it was more of a practical subject, Teddy also joined in the fun of playing with dirt.

Of course, the other reason Hermione stayed was because she had sent a second volley of letters to her Durmstrang acquaintances providing them with a place to meet -the Black House in Italy- for those who had replied to her and asked to meet. Fleur had helped them get in touch with another group of people from France, Spain and Italy who could help them with their endeavour, too. Of course, the point of contact was with her sister Gabrielle as she was still attending Beauxbatons. So, Hermione would be busy being a diplomat.

 

…

 

Mammon’s intuition told them that danger was coming. As they sat behind their desk looking at the expenses of the last month that included ammunition, construction materials, food, clothes, party implements -yeah, they had a very wild New Year party-, their hair stood on end and a sudden impulse to hide his money and escape far away bloomed. They didn’t know from where the feeling came but it was better to take heed of it. Unfortunately, they were still too late when someone knocked at their door.

“Come in.” They said.

A Mist under them poked his head in. “There is someone wanting to meet you.” That was all the man said before running away. In Mammon’s mind, they had already deducted the pay from that particular Mist for leaving them with such a troublesome person.

“I hope I’m not bothering.” Iolanthe calmly entered and closed the door behind her before sitting herself on one of the armchairs in the room.

Floating to sit themselves in front of Iolanthe, Mammon said, “Not at all. Is there a reason why you are here?” __Besides asking for the rent,__  they thought.

Iolanthe didn’t reply and only put a sheet of paper before them. “It would be better if you called the others. I have something to discuss with you.”

Mammon didn’t have to be a genius to know who she was referring to. The fact she wanted to gather the Officers meant it was very serious business and that puzzled them. Luckily, all the Officers were in Headquarters still nursing a hangover from the recent party and Mammon had no problems in dragging them out of the comfort of their rooms. Of course, the noisiest was Squalo.

“VOI!!! You better have a good reason for waking me up, you fucking baby!”

All his protests died down as soon as he saw Iolanthe happily sipping the tea she had asked Mimi to brew. Those who had already met Iolanthe -Belphegor, Lussuria, Squalo and Mammon- silently sat down and waited for her to explain the reason why she called for them. It was only the Lightning Officer, Levi A Than, who stupidly stood by the door sporting a dazed expression while looking at Iolanthe. That was until a cup crashing on his face took him out of his stupor accompanied by Squalo’s voice.

“Wipe out that perverted face of yours and sit down, you shitty Levi!” As a Lightning and the attribute of hardness, Levi wasn’t injured but he was still unhappy by Squalo’s scolding.

“Shishishi, a perverted old man trying to climb into royalty.” Belphegor laughed. With his pig teammates throwing his dignity to the drain, Levi dejectedly sat down on the free armchair.

Lussuria, who could shamelessly decide to become friendly with people on his own volition, sat next to Iolanthe the moment he saw her. “You lost weight, darling. Did something happen? Oh! You’re pregnant!” As a very skilled doctor, Lussuria was able to guess Iolanthe’s state. Then, he very mischievously asked. “Is it Reborn’s?”

“Who else’s?” Iolanthe asked back. That stunned the whole room. Mammon even mumbled something about checking out the stocks to see if some miracle was happening out there. Though, Mammon should have seen it coming. A week with the Arcobalenos having their normal body plus Iolanthe and Reborn being married; it simply equated to a baby. Enough said. “But that’s not why I’m here. I have a job for you.” Iolanthe then tapped the sheet of paper that had been forgotten.

Squalo quickly reached for it and skimmed it, only for his expression to change and read it a second time. As soon as he was done, he absentmindedly passed it to the person next to him. And so on until it ended on the table. The five Officers didn’t know what expression to have. If they should rejoice or yell at Iolanthe for giving them hope. It had been a bit more than a year since that fateful day when the Boss was no longer with them and fell upon them to keep the Varia in order; Squalo even becaming the interim Boss.

“Can you do it?” Mammon asked breaking the silence.

“Even if it kills me, I have to.” Iolanthe calmly replied. It was in the contract with Daniela, after all.

“What do you need us to do?” Squalo was more straightforward. Without asking Iolanthe if she could do it or not, he had decided to put his faith on it. The Varia never did a job that had a low percentage of success yet if it was the Boss…

“I have seen through the Ottavo’s memory where Xanxus is and his state. What I don’t know is how to get there. I have promised Nono that I wouldn’t meddle with his Famiglia, so me asking him about where Xanxus is would mean breaking that promise.” Iolanthe explained.

“Your contract with the Ottavo only mentions treating the Boss.” Lussuria said understanding where the conversation was going. Iolanthe had her hands tied due to her promise with Nono so she wasn’t able to even mention Xanxus in front of the old man despite the contract she made with Daniela Vongola. That was the reason why she reached for them. Four pair of eyes instantly tuned to look at the person who witnessed it all: Squalo, who gestured at Iolanthe to continue.

“My plan is simple and this is where your expertise comes into the game; you will infiltrate wherever Xanxus is and then you will draw this circle around him.” She placed another sheet but this one was parchment with a rather common transportation drawing. It was a very old method of transportation before Portkeys were even created. The Portus Spell was born from this circle together with several arithmetical formulas. She could use the help of her friends for this job but she was afraid that would break Omertà so she had to depend on this group of people. “As soon as the circle is complete, Xanxus will the transported to the coordinates inlaid in the drawing. Any questions?”

“How much are you going to pay?” “Is this safe?” “This Prince needs something more challenging.” “Where are you sending our shitty Boss, VOI!?” “What’s you name?”

All the other Officers instantly turned to look at Levi with contempt in their eyes. The lady in front of them was obviously married and even waiting for a baby. Had Levi gone stupid? If the Husband, the Sun Arcobaleno, didn’t kill him for his audacity then the woman in front of them herself would get rid of him. She already looked unimpressed of Levi’s question. Ignoring the lecherous old man in the room, the others expectantly gazed at Iolanthe.

“I promise this is safe. Xanxus will be sent to my Home in Britain. Tell me your price and I will pay you though that will depend on how soon you can deliver him to me.” She smiled beatifically but Mammon could see the shrewdness in her eyes.

It was never good when a client asked for a price, much less when it seemed they had a period of time to do the job.  They needed to thread carefully. Just as Mammon was about to barter with the price, a powerful energy sent them and the other Officers flying across the room. Even so, they were professionals and managed to recover mid-air, instantly taking out their weapons to counterattack, no matter what or who. However, they were unable to discover anything, the room was as calm as it was before. It seemed they weren’t really attacked…?

“Behave baby, Mommy is busy doing business here.” Not long after they heard those words, the pressure they could feel in the room disappeared. Only then, they came to the conclusion that the attack came from the woman in front of them… or more accurately said, the baby. __Just what kind of monster she had inside her?!__  They thought alarmed. Mammon was even dreading the birth of the baby. A child of Reborn and this woman would be an abnormal one, they surmised. They couldn’t even relax for second when the pressure came again. “Who’s the Sun among you?” She suddenly asked.

Lussuria hesitantly raised his hand. “That’s me.”

“Come here. Baby somehow became used to my Husband’s Sun Flames and likes to feel them. Though now that he is gone, it seems baby misses him.” Iolanthe beckoned while patting the already forming bulge in her lower abdomen. Lussuria, as a doctor, was very curious about the level of cognition in this baby. To recognize its parents so soon was fascinating. He excitedly stepped forward and noticing he could move, he quickly went back to his place beside Iolanthe.

“What do you want me to do?” The manic smile on Lussuria’s face made the Officers’ hair stand on end yet Iolanthe ignored it and just grabbed his hand to place it on her abdomen. Lussuria froze on his seat. Not because he was touching her -he was a doctor, after all- but because… “It’s a Sun?”

Iolanthe smiled and nodded. Luna said the baby was a Sun and they didn’t doubt her. However, it wasn’t until a couple of days before that Reborn was able to feel the Flame inside her. It was the day he could finally get close to her and that was just due to the fact he was a Sun too. From then on, that repulsive force acted up from time to time and Reborn lived stuck to her middle with a face-splitting grin on his face.

“But that’s impossible.” Mammon commented from afar. It was known that Dying Will Flames activated in a life-or-death situation. They already thought their Boss Xanxus was an aberration for activating them when he was born but to have them from conception…

“Long story, no time to explain.” Iolanthe dismissed. “Anyway, you don’t have any questions regarding the drawing?”

“We can use anything to draw it?” As the interim Boss, Squalo managed to follow up the conversation.

“Yes, it doesn’t matter what you use as long you do it correctly.” Squalo nodded. “Oh! Please make sure it’s only Xanxus inside the circle. If more than one person steps in, the transportation circle would become unstable causing Splinching; if lucky, you might only leave parts of your body behind.”

She received incredulous stares after she said that last part. She shrugged. It was their problem if they didn’t believe her. Iolanthe stayed a while more discussing the price with Mammon for the mission. But it seemed the greedy Arcobaleno underestimated Iolanthe’s shrewdness. She put all sort of excuses for elevating the price. Like, only having a certain period of time to unfreeze Xanxus, being pregnant and the dangers of practicing Magic, that she had to do everything alone because of Omertà and recycling her excuses from above, wording them differently. In the end, Mammon had to grit their teeth and accept the price she proposed. The bartering they had in mind went down the drain.

After she left, the Officers stayed in the room to discuss what they were going to do to get to their Boss and take him out.

“Only Squalo knows where the Boss is, so it’s best for him to do it.” Lussuria proposed. “We can cover for you.”

“That trashy Boss is in a deep part of the Vongola Headquarters. Nono should have it under vigilance.” Squalo commented. In his mind he could still see the half-destroyed room where the Boss was frozen.

“To have Boss in such a place, that old man really is scared of him, shishishi.” Belphegor mocked.

“I have a plan.” Lussuria hurried to say seeing as the conversation was going to a tangent. The others weren’t surprised to hear Lussuria had a plan; that mind of his could come up with all sort of strategies that he had adjudicated himself the recognition as the member with best results in his missions. No traces, quick assassination and no witnesses so far. And so, the others heard what the Sun Officer had thought up.

 

…

 

The moment Iolanthe was back at the House, Luna easily made her way into it. Iolanthe didn’t think she would appear so soon but seeing her blonde friend gave her an idea. Sincerely, Iolanthe wanted to come up with a solution for Xanxus as soon as possible. Not only because she was busy dealing with other things but because she had noticed the Sky Flames from Daniela Vongola were becoming smaller and smaller in the container. Iolanthe had given Reborn a mighty scolding for not giving her the box sooner and since then she had been pouring into books related to Soul Magic to get a heads up.

Leaving Farid and Teddy under Hermione during the afternoon, Iolanthe dragged Luna into the cabin where she had been piling books and had started experimenting. Iolanthe had no qualms in showing Luna the Sky Flames; if she wasn’t wrong then the blonde witch was somewhat aware of what kind of Magick Reborn possessed but hadn’t said anything. Luna was special like that. That no Vindice appeared after she showed it was proof enough she wasn’t breaking any Mafia law.

“Take a look at it.” The bespectacled witch put the black box in front of Luna.

Immediately, the box opened and the small Flames burned inside. Luna didn’t need to be told anything when she closed the box on her own accord after looking at the Flames.

“They are very Harmonic.” Luna smiled. “What do you want to do with them?”

“I am trying to come up with a way to unfreeze a person.” Iolanthe explained. “Now, look at this.” The Black Pensieve containing Daniela’s memory had been readied beforehand. Luna didn’t think twice before plunging into the artifact while Iolanthe waited.

A moment later, Luna came out with a weird expression. Iolanthe didn’t rush her to say what she thought because she knew Luna sometimes needed to arrange her ideas in that crazy mind of hers.

“Paralysis of the Soul.” Luna finally said. “The Soul is there but it is not connected to the body. If it is related to the Harmony you just showed me then this ice is a Disharmony.”

Iolanthe digested the words. She hadn’t actually seen it that way. After all, her knowledge of Flames was very limited and she didn’t want to mess up with the unknown. Furthermore, it was fortunate they had studied that Dementor and were aware of how the Soul works from the point of view of the Creature. That being said, they knew the only thing they needed to do was reconnect Xanxus Soul to his body to create a reaction inside the ice so it would naturally melt. However, a thought crossed Iolanthe’s mind that jolted her.

“He’s dead.” She cried out.

Much like how Dementors sucked the soul of their victims, the fact Xanxus soul wasn’t connected to his body was the same as saying he was dead and the ice has only kept him in some sort of stasis. Neither dead nor alive. A headache assaulted Iolanthe.

“We can call it.” Luna suggested. “Using this.” She lifted the box containing Daniela’s Flames.

“Like a guide!” Iolanthe guessed Luna’s thought. But her face once again turned serious. “There still might be complications. I was told he had been in that state for almost two years. That is detrimental to both the body and the psyche.”

“We can work with the body as soon as he’s out yet to stabilize his soul, he would need to remain unconscious. I just don’t know for how long.” The airy witch made her way towards the kitchen to get something to drink. Iolanthe just let her be as she was busy flipping pages in search of something useful in her books.

By dinner time, she still hadn’t found anything; not even with Luna’s help. Their method was clear yet the procedure was still foggy. And with Luna’s warning that she needed to stop and rest, the progress they made in the following days was very slow. And with the meeting of those important foreign characters, the investigation came to a complete halt.

 

…

 

Iolanthe was ecstatic that she was finally showing with two months and a half. Her belly was starting to get distended and a bit hard that she wanted to show everybody around her. Well, Hermione, Luna, Farid and Teddy did see it so she was happy with that. As Lady of three Houses, three very respected Houses, there was no way she would have the chance to show off her belly. Hermione even made her wear a covered dress for the meeting with the foreign contacts. Wearing a white gauze A line dress with the back half uncovered, Iolanthe looked the epitome of pregnancy radiance. Even if it wasn’t shown as the dress was somewhat loose.

One by one, the people they were waiting for arrived thanks to the (illegally) made and sent Portkeys. The foyer was the reception for those coming. From the ages of eighteen to twenty five, eight people were standing below the artistically lit ceiling that displayed its Renaissance painting. When the last person showed up, they didn’t wait long before Mimi popped up guiding them to the second floor and into the Library that wasn’t much a library as the shelves and books were very sparse but Iolanthe had transformed it into some kind of conference room.

Iolanthe, Hermione and Luna were already waiting for them there. It would have been polite of them to  wait in the foyer for their guests. However, that didn’t actually applied for their set up. Hermione and Luna were basically also guests in the Black House so they couldn’t receive anybody and with Iolanthe’s condition, she actually shouldn’t have been allowed to take part in the meeting as Tradition dictated she should focus on her baby. Though with Reborn away, she had no choice but to take up the burden.

 Besides, it wasn’t as if Reborn knew much of what she wanted to do.

“Thank you for coming on such a short notice.” Iolanthe greeted with a smile towards the elegantly dressed group. “Please have a seat. I want this to be a relaxed meeting.”

The group was composed of mostly Purebloods so they were stunned hearing her words. Hesitating if they should follow their own etiquette or her prompt, they stood there for a moment before a young man, a teenager, took the lead in sitting down.

“Hello and welcome. My name is Hermione Granger, this is Luna Lovegood and finally your host, Iolanthe Potter.” Hermione opened with her greeting. Technically, it should have been Iolanthe taking the lead but… well, she was eating. Mimi had appeared with a bowl of unknown food seconds ago. Iolanthe had started having cravings and none was something they could stomach. “For record purposes, may you present yourselves?” She continued.

The young man who took his seat first began. “Bert, Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Metzger  from Germany.” As people from high society each and every one of them spoke fluent English so none had problems with what they were asked to do.

“Mariya, Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Yanev from Bulgary.” A pretty woman, one of the older ones, continued.

“Vito, Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Morosini from Italy.” A tanned man said in a monotone.

“Lucja from the Most Ancient and Noble House of Ostrowski from Poland.” A somewhat subdued teenager followed up, her expression showing shyness.

“Ansgar, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Hagebak from Norway.” The man had a no-nonsense face.

“Ferenc, Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Kun from Hungary.” Hermione paused in her writing hearing the deep voice from this baby-faced teenager.

“Gonzalo, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Marin from Spain.” The amiable man seating next to Luna said.

“Monique from the Most Ancient and Noble House of Monier of France.” A haughty looking woman finally closed the round of presentations.

“Thanks. Now, I have been very vague in my letters because I didn’t want others to know that what we are doing is not exactly appropriate but I assure you it’s important and it will not only affect our country but yours too…” Hermione began. Iolanthe smiled hearing her friend talking. Hermione always tended to babble when she knew she was breaking some rule or in this case law. Their guests were already looking a bit impatient from her words so she thought it was her duty to interrupt her.

“What do you think of Britain?” Iolanthe suddenly asked gaining the awkward attention of their guests. “Come now, don’t be afraid to voice your thoughts. We also think it is working on outdated and useless laws and that’s why we are having this meeting.” She continued while moving the spoon in her goop of something.

Silence ensued while the others hesitated. It was the shy teenager, Lucja who finally spoke up. “You should reach out more to other countries. And more after your war.” Her voice was very clear despite speaking softly. “I really admire what you did for your community, Iolanthe!” She suddenly blurted out with sparkly eyes. Her accent showing up in her excitement. Her face instantly turned red with embarrassment. “Sorry, that was inappropriate.”

Her words lightened up the awkwardness. It had to be said that as people around Iolanthe’s age, it wasn’t rare to find they admired the witch who sacrificed herself to save thousands of Wizards and Witches. They didn’t dare to underestimate her feat just because their Dark Lord was encased in Britain. In the off chance he won over the war, it would have affected the communities of other countries, too. So, yes, they were grateful that Dark Lord was nipped at the bud.

“I suppose you are trying to do just that.” The amiable Spanish man said. Iolanthe nodded.

“How exactly are you going to achieve it?” Lord Hagebak asked with a tone that urged for an answer.

“Nothing much, we want to sack our delegate from the ICW.” Iolanthe nonchalantly replied.

That startled the foreigners into realizing why they were there. Each one of them had an elder from their Houses in the ICW and she had clearly reached towards them instead of those elders because they were aware sometimes old people didn’t take youngsters opinion into consideration, specially those who hailed from Pureblood lines and were very proud of it. In a way young people had some kind of rapport due to their age and oftentimes looked for support with their peers disregarding their elders.

“Who are you going to place in the post?” Lady Yanev calmly inquired.

“Lady Gemma of the Ancient and Noble House of Farley.”

The eight subconsciously nodded their heads. As Lord, Ladies, Heirs and members of Most Ancient and Noble Houses they were also aware of the most prominent Houses in other countries. They knew about the Potter, Black and Peverell Houses Iolanthe was Lady of, making her the Witch with the most influence in Britain. What caught their attention regarding Gemma Farley was the fact she somehow stepped over her older brother and true Heir of the Farley House and became Lady. That meant she had her own means to do things and sounded more promising than that Lord MacMillan their elders often complained about.

“And then, what do you need us to do?” Heir Metzger asked very interested.

“We have our hands tied and cannot do much on our end because the Media has Iolanthe in their eyes.” Hermione interjected. Whispers of assent resounded around the table. All of them were aware that with Iolanthe’s influence it was easy for her to send a mere ICW delegate flying yet couldn’t do it due to the outrageous articles printed about her. After that press conference she did which the international Media could assist, the other communities more or less supported her. And that’s why they easily accepted attending the meeting, because Iolanthe Potter politely asked them to. “So we want to invoke a vote of felicity towards Lord MacMillan.”

The eight saw the gravity in what they wanted to do. Generally, those chosen as delegates for the International Confederation of Wizards were the most suitable candidates in the community. It was fine if that same community that chose them revoked them from the post; yet, if members of the ICW were the ones that wanted to get rid of another member, it was the same as scorning an entire community of Witches and Wizards. That could lead to the strain of relationships between countries. What they wanted to do not only involved their own country but others too. It was a worldwide project. An ambitious one.

“You do realize that this can create problems for us, right?” Lord Hagebak sternly reminded.

“We do.” Hermione nodded with grim determination. “We are prepared for the storm in the Wizengamot as well as suppressing the press. We can assure you that it won’t affect any one of you and we have even prepared reasons as to why Lord MacMillan is not suitable for the post.” She handed several parchments with an essay explaining why the man should step down from being a delegate. The more they read, the more the eight were convinced Iolanthe Potter and her group had a throughout plan.

“It’s fine. I agree to help you.” Lord Marin easily acquiesced not even finishing his read. The others glanced at him to then keep reading the document. Neither derided the man from his quick reply. After all, the House of Marin was royalty in Spain. If Lord Marin said he wanted to do something, then even that elder who was the delegate would have no choice but to relent. That’s how powerful the title of Lord was in the Marin House. Only the most capable and competent heir among the other heirs was chosen.  

Done reading the document and pondering their choices, the others agreed to either help or do their best to help her. Iolanthe didn’t have much hopes into getting their support but she was pleasantly surprised hearing their replies. Obviously she wasn’t aware of the weight she had among her generation not only in Britain but in other countries, too.

“It is an honor working with you.” Iolanthe said, accepting their help. The eight answered her with their own words. “As my friend Hermione said, this matter is of utmost importance so it should be done sooner rather than later.”

“Don’t worry, Lady Potter. We may be young but are not that useless.” Heir Kun with his deep voice and baby face joked. The others chuckled, even the stern Lord Hagebak smiled.

Their laugh was cut short when the door of the library opened and in came a small yet confident figure that put those foreigners in tenterhooks. The pressure that figure commanded was so strong that their back was dripping with cold sweat.

“Husband! You are back!” Iolanthe stood up excited. She very much wanted to run towards him but with guests in the room, she could not. It had only been two weeks since he had left to do his stuff and he was already back; there was no way she wouldn’t be happy. Reborn smiled seeing Iolanthe’s cheerful appearance but before he could throw his cheeky remark to tease her, another voice spoke up.

“ _ _Non posso crederci!”__ The until then silent Heir Morosini from Italy looked at Reborn with incredulous eyes. Then he turned towards Iolanthe. “You are married to an Arcobaleno!”

Reborn and Iolanthe’s face stiffened.

Hermione and the others looked confused.

Luna sipped her tea.

 


	42. The tribulations of a man with a pregnant Wife

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when Reborn returns to the Potter home for his free weeks?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the late chapter and to compensate, the chapter today is massive! Would have been longer but I didn't want to keep you waiting :D
> 
> So it is a chapter of snippets of sort for when Reborn returns each month to the Potter home and sees Iolanthe getting bigger by the month xD
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!
> 
> Editing (July-25th) because I wasn't able to before. Sorry to those who had to read the unedited version but I was tired and wanted to sleep, lol.

* * *

 

The Most Ancient and Noble House of Morosini has been around for a very long time, with countless members throughout the years. All very exceptional. Curiously, this House had actually never delved into politics as they had focused on one thing: Law Enforcement. The House of Morosini has been since its conception, a House of Aurors. Heir Vito Morosini had just finished his education at Durmstrang and was ready to enroll into the Italian Auror Forces; but before that, his Father told him about a very special society rooted in Italy. Specifically, Sicily.

At first he couldn’t believe it. Well, he could; Italy was the cradle of the organized crime known as the Mafia. However! What he couldn’t believe was the type of Mafia he was told about.

Not in his wildest dreams he would have guessed that the Mafia in Sicily had people brandishing some sort of Magick called Dying Will Flames. He was told everything about this society that has been secretly and constantly monitored by Wizards. As long as they didn’t create problem for the Wizarding community, then they were mostly left alone. Lord Morosini had repeatedly mentioned to keep away from baby-like people called Arcobalenos. They were extremely dangerous even with their small bodies. And the best way to identified them was by a Pacifier.

The same Pacifier Reborn was wearing.

Three people were left in the library after Iolanthe instructed Hermione and Luna to send their guests out. Reborn was sharply looking at Vito Morosini who was sweating like a pig. His Father had not been lying when he advised him to stay away from Arcobalenos. A mere gaze had him quaking in his boots and feeling as if a knife was pressed on his neck. It was extremely uncomfortable. Not even the fact the Arcobaleno claimed Iolanthe Potter’s lap as his seat helped Heir Morosini’s discomfort. He regretted having opened his mouth.

“Don’t be afraid, Heir Morosini.” Iolanthe soothed with a gentle smile.

Her words did nothing to calm his nerves since it only made the Arcobaleno in her lap to be even more dissatisfied with the young man. “I… is…why am I here?” He asked nervously. He didn’t want to get entangled by the Mafia!

Iolanthe sighed. “We are waiting.”

Huh? Before he could further ask, fog appeared out of nowhere and with it space tore to make way for a tall, bedraggled man who unceremoniously sat on the table they were occupying and looked at them with a bored expression. On his shoulder, there was a baby wearing a Pacifier similar to those of the Arcobalenos but colorless.  

“Why is it you?” Reborn grumbled. Though deep down he was curious about these Vindice as one of them wore a Pacifier like him. It made him wonder if they had a connection with Checker Face.

“Tea, Mr. Jager, Mr von Veckenschtein?” Iolanthe inquired like a good host.

“No thanks.” The baby with the top hat answered. “We came for very serious matters.” He then swept his gaze towards Vito Morosini who looked pale.

Silence ensued.

“Oh, please. I don’t believe you are so naive to think that the Italian Wizarding Community wouldn’t know about you?” Iolanthe scoffed. “It’s true that you try to blend in with the Muggles but you are not exactly inconspicuous in your matters. You think we cannot detect the usage of what you call Mist Flames and what it hides behind?”

With the pandora box opened, the surroundings seemed to have become a bit lighter. Vito Morosini sighed inwardly and couldn’t help admire Iolanthe Potter more. The two newcomers made him feel really frightened but she was even ridiculing them. He couldn’t help feel ashamed. He was ready to enter Law Enforcement to follow his Father, his older sister and ancestor’s footsteps or so he thought. It appeared he was wrong.

Filled with renewed courage, he spoke. “We have known for a while. At least the House of Morosini has been aware for years.” His fists tightened and he hoped he was not doing anything wrong.

“Are you aware that exposing our world can lead you to lifetime imprisonment and even death?” Jager eerily asked.

“I…” Heir Morosini startled. He was obviously not aware. He guessed not even his Father was aware of this tidbit of information. In fact, nobody in his family was aware of these men in front of him. Who were they? Either way, he continued to explain his position towards the Mafia. “Although we have known for years, that is information that has only been disclosed to members of the main branch in our House. I have no knowledge if other Houses are aware of your world but so far we haven’t leaked anything about it to others.” He said with honest eyes as if asking to be trusted.

“Look, why don’t you guys take Heir Morosini and have a nice chat. It’s not that I am throwing you out but my baby has to eat.” Iolanthe interrupted the conversation.

“What?!” Vito Morosini squeaked. He didn’t want to be alone with these frightening people!

“Are you going to cook then?” Iolanthe asked with a dark face, the room filling with a heavy pressure that left everybody breathless.

“I… We will do as Lady Potter says.” The young man gritted his teeth and finally replied. He stood up and walked out of the library. Once outside, he let out a sigh of temporary relief. Lady Potter was as dangerous as that Arcobaleno and those bedraggled people. He resolved his heart to train hard so he wouldn’t feel as hopeless as he felt back there.

Inside, Jager and Bermuda looked at Iolanthe with squinting eyes. “We need to talk, Iolanthe Potter.” Jager threw those words before gliding out of the room. With their departure, the library was less stuffy and Iolanthe slumped on her chair. Really, keeping up her Lady persona was too tiring.

Seeing her actions, Reborn chuckled and he started massaging her shoulders from his position in her lap. He felt somewhat sorry for her. She should be enjoying her pregnancy to her fullest instead of having meetings and stressing herself. It was not fair for her. “Should I replace you in this coming Wizengamot meeting?” He offered. If only to save her from fighting with those old coots who think they know better just because they have been warming up those seats for who knows how long.

Iolanthe only hugged him halting his massage. Her face buried in his unruly hair which smelled of smoke. She didn’t want to know what he had been doing before coming back. “Cook for me.” She said in a low, sultry voice.

“What do you want?” He asked. His face softly rubbing on her bosom. Hm, he could smell she was using a new soap.

“Anything. Even if you give me dirt, I would eat it as long as it’s from you.” Reborn’s face twitched. He had learned from last month that Iolanthe tended to talk nonsense with pregnancy hormones. How did he know it was nonsense? Because she would soon back down and say other stuff. “Make that potato soup you first prepared for me but add parsley, garlic, pepper, cucumber…” Instead of twitching, Reborn’s face paled. As she kept naming ingredients, he couldn’t imagine what would result from all that. Was Iolanthe having the so called cravings?

He finally stopped her from calling out more ingredients with a kiss. “Wait for it then.” He smiled and then quickly went out to prepare her… special soup. Calling for Petal and Dew, he confirmed Iolanthe was indeed having cravings and her food was really unnameable. Luckily, by some godly miracle, both Farid and Teddy were able to digest her creations without any problems. He admitted he would be afraid of tasting anything she cooked.

Though at the end he couldn’t escape from his fate that week when Iolanthe insisted on cooking and would give him the evil eye if he so much as mentioned cooking for her. He killed his bud tastes that week. It didn’t help that when she was bored from investigating, or doing whatever she wanted to do, she would start cooking and asking him to try her dishes. Hermione and Luna, the traitors, disappeared that week to escape from Iolanthe’s evil cooking.

Returning to Britain, Teddy was introduced to the Potter’s Ancestral Home and his new room, which had been arranged by Petal and Mimi on Andromeda’s instructions to remain the same as his previous one. He looked very excited by the new environment and he happily spent his time exploring with Farid and Reborn. At first, Reborn thought Teddy was like any other toddler until he was proven wrong when the kid never seemed to tire. It was as if his stamina was inexhaustible.

A toddler of almost three years would get tired sooner or later, no matter how energetic. But Teddy was not the case. Farid could be panting and with half her tongue out from exhaustion after running around for a long time, yet Teddy was as fresh as a lettuce. Many times Reborn tested him with sudden sprints and even if the toddler couldn’t surpass him, he was always behind him. The Hitman marveled at it and guessed those lycan genes were giving him a boost. Put together that ability of his to morph, he could be a hit-and-run Hitman with high possibilities to never be tracked.

And so Reborn decided to train Teddy too. Though he first needed to inform his Wife lest he was kicked out of the bed for being secretive.

“Oh, so cruel! Making your old Mother return to an empty house while you go out to play!” Iolanthe dramatically cried out as soon as Reborn and the kids were back from their outing. She ran and tightly hugged Farid and Teddy who giggled due to her effusive kisses. “Alright, go change clothes and then ask Dew to make some hot chocolate for you. It’s still cold outside and I don’t want you to be sick.”

_****“Yes, Mommy!”** ** _

“Yes, Mommy!” Iolanthe always felt very accomplished when she heard Teddy calling her Mommy. She was in no way trying to replace Tonks as a Mother but she felt Teddy really needed a Mother figure around even if she was not actually his Mother. Remus approved and was even thankful to both Iolanthe and Reborn for taking care of his son.

“How was the Wizengamot session?” Reborn asked as soon as the kids were gone. At the end, Iolanthe didn’t allow Reborn to replace her claiming she was fine, that she could handle it for the time being and that there were things only she could do in the Wizengamot. Reborn let her be though he constantly reminded her to rest. With her finally showing, Reborn suddenly had an impending urge to keep her under wraps so she wouldn’t get hurt.

“Same old,” Iolanthe sighed sitting on one of the couches in the living room. “The law to improve the Unspeakables Secrecy Vow was approved. There are still no news from the ICW but Gemma is already on the move gaining influence. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has the whole Wizengamot around her little finger by next month. She really is scary… oh, baby, don’t fuss, Daddy is here.”

Iolanthe finally could guess when the baby would fuss around. Whenever she felt her Magic getting restless it meant her baby was looking for attention. Really, the baby was still not fully formed but it was already shamelessly trying to gain favor from the parents. Reborn didn’t need to be told as he put his hands on the bump. His Flames harmlessly inserted themselves inside her body and gently surrounded the baby whose Flames actively met his. It was like saying hello because the connection would only last a second before the baby went back to sleep.

The first time he did it, he was so overwhelmed he ran around the garden in the Italian Black House to calm his heart. The fact he was going to be a Father hadn’t hit him so hard as it did that time. When he was back at the cabin, Iolanthe just knowingly gazed at him yet said nothing; for which he was thankful.

By the end of Reborn’s free week, Mimi appeared before them in the middle of the night really flustered and stuttering.

“Calm down, Mimi. Say, what is wrong?” Iolanthe groggily asked.

“Ice man bes appearing in guest house!” Mimi exclaimed wringing her skirt. The three House-elves shared a room in the guest house and were frightened by the sudden appearance of a big chunk of ice. Iolanthe’s grogginess vanished when she realized what Mimi meant. She hurriedly put a robe and ran towards the guest house, Reborn tailing her.

Sure enough, as soon as they entered they saw a frozen young man in the middle of the living room. It looked a bit eerie in the darkness of the night but neither Reborn nor Iolanthe had problems guessing it was Xanxus. Iolanthe’s only thought was that she needed to hurry in her investigation. Meanwhile, Reborn had a premonition in his heart.

Premonition that turned into the news of Massimo Vongola’s disappearance as soon as he went back to Italy. His suspicion turned into confirmation: the Varia Officers were getting rid of the Decimo candidates. Fact he never voiced to Nono because Iolanthe, with her duty of unfreezing Xanxus, had become an accomplice. No matter how thankful he was to Nono, Iolanthe was his Family, the present and future he didn’t want to lose so he kept silent regarding the matter. If the Varia did a good job, then Nono would never realize Xanxus was no longer in the basement.

It wasn’t until two weeks later that Massimo had been found, drowned. Though, Reborn was able to find the ones responsible for the murder. A small Famiglia that hated the Vongolas and had problems with Massimo previously. The Famiglia didn’t deny their participation and were even proud of it. Reborn had only one thought to that: Never underestimate Varia Quality.

 

…

 

In the Potter Home, Iolanthe was skimming through a soul guiding book she had recently acquired while the kids played in the snow. Their childish laughs filled Iolanthe with energy despite the headache she had for not having found what to do with Xanxus. Luna was also investigating back in her house and promised to visit in the case she found a lead. However, days had passed and there were still no news.

Guiding a soul mostly pertained to guiding them to the afterlife, for them to rest and leaving them on the hands of Death. It was rare to guide a soul back into the body, not to mention Xanxu’s soul was actually in his body so it just needed to be reconnected. It would have been easier if he wasn’t frozen yet it was the ice that was keeping him ‘alive’. It was all complicated and Iolanthe didn’t know what to do.

 ** _ ** _“_** **Mom, are we going to do something for Imbolc?”**_** Farid suddenly asked. Iolanthe startled as she hadn’t heard her closing in on her. Her and Teddy had been taught Wizarding celebrations and with February coming in a few days, it meant Imbolc must be celebrated. Iolanthe wanted them to learn about these celebrations and rituals because that would familiarize them with their gift, making them even closer to Mother Magic as her Peverell task demanded.

The previous year Iolanthe had celebrated it alone with a candle ritual to call for the sun, meditating while doing a cleansing bath ritual and house cleansing. Though with kids, it was better to do something different. They could help with the house cleansing and the three could also go take a walk in the forest to see if there were signs of Spring. And perhaps when they were back from their walk, they could do something by the hearth. As soon as the kids went to bed, she could do the cleansing bath and candle ritual alone.

Iolanthe thought of the possibilities and her eyes inadvertently turned to the embers that had burned while she was sitting by the windows of the living where she could keep an eye on the kids while they played, her eyes caught a glimpse of something and her mind halted.

“Mimi!” She called out all of a sudden.

“Yes, Mistress?” Mimi nervously asked seeing Iolanthe a bit agitated.

“Bring Luna, it’s urgent.” She said not removing her eyes from the embers. As soon as she heard Mimi popping out, Iolanthe turned to Farid who had been waiting for her answer. **_**_“_** **We are going to do something very special, dear.”**_** She smiled.

On Imbolc, two witches and to kids were standing in front of the huge ice chunk. At first, Farid and Teddy were afraid of the distorted face of the young man trapped there but Iolanthe explained he had been trapped there for a long time and was hurting so they were going to help him get out. The kids enthusiastically nodded, happy to help someone. They actually didn’t need to do anything but Iolanthe wanted them to witness a ritual for the first time. She wanted them to see the power of Magic. They had had a cleansing bath and had walked from the main House towards the guest house in white robes that didn’t help much with the cold.

Seven candles in red or white were positioned around the chunk of ice. Iolanthe and the kids stood at the side while Luna prepared herself for the ritual. No matter how much Iolanthe reasoned, she was not allowed to directly participate in it so she remained an onlooker. Luna was willing to do it for her, so it was fine.

After the candles were placed, Luna used some salt to draw a couple of Runes Iolanthe had chosen for the ritual inside the candle circle. The Runes were from the book that taught about guiding souls, they were all Japanese characters. Once the characters were drawn, they created a Ward that prevented other spirits to interfere with what is within and to locate the soul they were searching for. Since the soul was already there, the Ward would just make that soul connect with the body. However, that type of ritual only worked on normal souls and Magical souls.

The key for the ritual was the usage of Daniela’s Sky Flames to lit the candles.

As Luna lit each candle she kept repeating the same string of words, ‘ _ _Let this soul seek the light, let this soul seek life. That which is inside, shall stay inside’,__ until all candles were lit. Magic filled the air and the room started to get hot yet the ice didn’t melt. Either way, they weren’t worried because the ritual would be done until the candles completely burned out and that would be on the Spring Equinox, or Ostara, marking the time for balance.

Farid and Teddy watched the process with amazement on their faces. They had felt something inside them running cheerfully accepting the warmth not only from those Flames but from Magic itself. Iolanthe instructed them to think of something they want to change about themselves. Of course, as a toddler, Teddy wouldn’t understand what he had to do but he still stayed silent while Farid actually did it. Iolanthe didn’t know what her daughter wanted to change and she wouldn’t ask because that was personal unless the girl shared it.

When all was done, the four left the guest house and went into the main house to do the Cakes and Ales ceremony to thank the gods for their blessings. That’s how they celebrated their Imbolc.

Reborn managed to return by February the 14 intending to do something special with Iolanthe. He wanted to compensate her for putting up with him and his coming and going without any complaints plus thanking her for the baby they were going to have. Even if he had never thought of having kids, he was thrilled to have one with her. So he made an extra effort to finish his latest job  as soon as possible and spend Valentine’s with her.

As soon as he entered the house, Iolanthe quickly made his way to him -as quickly as she could with the more prominent bump she had. He had no time to react to the changes in her body when she said, “Welcome home, Renato. Mind if I take a look at your Pacifier? Thank you, I love you!” After that, she planted a kiss on his lips and walked up into the Sunroom. He wanted to know what she was up to but he was distracted by screaming and laughing coming from the kitchen and decided to see what was going on. What he found was a disaster.

“It’s burning! Missy Farid! Yous be moving the chocolate!”

“Little Master Teddy! Put the flour-!” Poor Dew couldn’t even finish her sentence when Teddy flipped the bag of flour and it flew everywhere.

“What’s going on?” Reborn asked.

 ** _ ** _“Dad!”_**_** Farid jumped down from the stool she was using so she could reach the stove and ran towards Reborn. Being hugged, he noticed Farid had grown an inch or two. Same as Teddy who got flour all over Reborn and Farid. **_**_“We are making chocolates and cookies.”_**_** She explained.

“For Mommy, Aunty, Uncle, granmama.” Teddy followed up.

 ** _ ** _“And for Dad, too! Dad, will you eat the chocolate I make?”_**_** There was no way Reborn could say no to those sparkling eyes and shy expression.

Getting his confirmation, Farid smiled and happily ran back to the stove where she followed Petal’s instructions on how to make chocolates while Teddy went back to trying -and failing- to make cookies leaving all the work to Dew. Reborn watched with an amused expression at the kids toiling around the kitchen. He could predict those chocolates would have a smoky taste while the cookies might end up in weird shapes. He still wasn’t used to the domestic feelings he experienced whenever he returned but that didn’t mean he wasn’t enjoying it.

Best part was: he would get his daughter’s first chocolates before any other smelly boy. The silly smile that was starting to form on his face suddenly froze.

Quietly leaving the kitchen, he stopped by the living room where he clutched the nearest couch as his body cramped and quickly changed. There was only one person who would be able to change his body. Ignoring the discomfort in his body, he slowly walked up the stairs towards the Sunroom. On the way, he went from his adult form, to his toddler form, to child form, to adult form again non-stop. Gritting his teeth, he turned the doorknob finding his Wife in front of a magnifying glass while her fingers swiped around the Pacifier.

“Iolanthe!”

Her fingers stopped as well as the changes in his body and he sighed relieved when the cramping receded. He barely noticed his body had stopped changing at his teenager form when he got an armful of Iolanthe who took advantage of the fact they were the same height to grab his face and kiss him as if her life depended on it. He was even pulled towards the nearest couch and thrown on it. In less than a minute, Iolanthe was down to her underwear while his shirt had disappeared and she was making fast work on his pants. Reborn was reminded what it felt like to be a teenager again.

Horny.

His body quickly reacted to the stimulus and he carefully laid her on the couch as his mouth tasted every part of her body paying special attention to the bump where his child was growing. Iolanthe was speaking incoherently, letting out moans, whimpers and little screams. Luckily, Mimi, who had been in the Sunroom attending to Iolanthe, placed a Silencing Ward around the room before running away the moment they started kissing; just like how she was advised to do by Toty. Reborn couldn’t wait before going in and that’s when he remembered the second aspect of being a teenager.

Quick.

He hadn’t moved for too long before he was already done. After feeling a bit mortified as he wasn’t even able to make Iolanthe feel good, he inwardly cheered for himself when he experienced the only good aspect of being a teenager.

Stamina.

He was still standing up and ready for another round after resting for a few seconds. He didn’t know if he should have been thankful for his never-ending stamina or not because Iolanthe seemed insatiable. His muscles were burning even with his Flames helping him. Who knows how long later, he was loudly panting together with Iolanthe who was broadly smiling not minding the rivulets of sweat dripping from his body, running down her skin. With trembling legs, he slid down to the rug and sat down.

“What was that?” He rasped.

“That was amazing sex, Renato.” Iolanthe replied in a hoarse voice.

Reborn chuckled. “Not that. The thing you were doing with the Pacifier.” He turned and smiled seeing her lazily laying on that couch with her skin glistening, her front assets standing proud and the bulge in her belly lovely making its presence. His hand gently rubbed it to say hi to his child who seemed to be sleeping because he received no reply. Iolanthe’s hand covered his and continued moving around her belly.

“Long story short, I was frisky and wanted to find a way to roll on the sheets with you.” Iolanthe’s smile turned mischievous which made Reborn laugh. However, Iolanthe still explained him what she did.

While she was checking out on how the ritual to unfreeze Xanxus was doing, she noticed the Ward around the ice sometimes flashed with the Runes that were drew on the floor. She wondered if it was only in that case that a Ward flashed the Runes or if it depended on the type of Ward. In the end, it actually depended on the type of Ward; most Wards meant for protection or to cover something flashed the Runes if one paid attention. Though, one needed to be in extreme tune with their Magic to do that feat.

Iolanthe was not on that level but she found that if she inserted a bit of Magic into the Ward, she could sometimes see the Runes. While she was investigating that phenomenon, her hormones started to mess around again and she constantly felt aroused, no matter what she did. That’s how she dived into studying the Ward created for the Pacifier and discovered there might have been a low possibility that the Ward was still there, only dormant. Not wasting time, she asked for his Pacifier as soon as he came back and with the help of the magnifying glass, she began poking the Pacifier in hopes of finding if the Ward still existed.

To her luck, it was there and she experimented how to completely activate the Ward again and have some fun with her Husband. And maybe even find the way to restore his body to normal permanently. What she didn’t expect was for him to start changing the moment she began experimenting. It could be said that she was on the right path to discovering how to make the Arcobaleno Curse not to have that horrible after-effect.

“How long will it last?” Reborn purred very much wanting to go at it again.

“I don’t know.” Iolanthe’s sultry voice earned her a breathtaking kiss from her Husband who readily made it on top of her. However, the next second he quickly turned back to his toddler form, looking lost and devastated while sitting between her legs. She couldn’t help it and laughed out loud. “Don’t be sad, Renato.” She giggled while gathering her Husband in her arms. “We can continue tonight or tomorrow. We have a week, anyway.”

That comforted him a bit.

Cleaning themselves and going back to the kitchen, the chocolates and cookies were done and as he guessed, the chocolates had that smoky taste from being burned and the cookies… were those even cookies? Either way, he happily ate them. Sadly, Iolanthe got busy again with Wizengamot business as the ICW finally removed Lord MacMillan from his post and the repercussions sent the Lords, Ladies and civilians into a frenzy. There was no day in which the Wizengamot wasn’t called for a session to mitigate the repercussions of the event. Even after Reborn left, the Wizarding British community was a mess.

By mid March, Reborn got two letters, one from Farid and the other from Iolanthe asking him to return on Ostara and to bring someone from the Varia.

 

…

 

“Why are they here?” Iolanthe asked seeing Lussuria and Squalo standing behind Reborn.

“You told me to bring them.” Reborn replied hesitating.

“I did?” She also looked confused. “What for?” The three men were stumped. If she didn’t know, much less them.

 _ ** **“It’s for the ice man, Mommy.”****_  A sibilant voice sounded from behind Iolanthe. The Sun and Rain Officers startled and tensed.

 ** _ ** _“_**_** Oh! Yes! I remember now! ** _ **Thanks a lot, sweetie.** ** _”_**_** Iolanthe smiled and turned around to pat Farid’s head who hid again behind Iolanthe as soon as she noticed the strange men were looking at her leaving little Teddy uncovered. A Teddy who flustered and his hair changed to a myriad of colors.

“What kind of circus frea- UGH!” Squalo didn’t even have the chance to finish his words when he was sent flying by Reborn’s kick not before receiving a Stinging Hex from Iolanthe on the face.

“I dare you to say my kids are not normal.” Iolanthe threatened releasing all her Magic on him. “You will refrain from saying or thinking offensive words about them in my house!” Squalo felt her words resonate inside his body as if it was a heavenly command and he spurted blood from the pressure. “Now, come.”

Iolanthe briskly walked into the guest house. Lussuria quietly entered not wanting to mingle with Squalo fearing he would also receive Iolanthe’s wrath. He could only inwardly shake his head at Squalo’s inappropriate words though all those thoughts flew out of his mind as soon as he saw his Boss’ state. Almost all of the ice had melted and only a thin layer was left. Candles were bravely burning their last and something was flashing around the Boss. Being a doctor, he could see his Boss didn’t look good and he worried being trapped in the ice would have grave side-effects.

“The ice will completely melt by sunrise tomorrow. Some of my friends will come to check out his situation, you can do your own check up too if you so wish. I will just warn you that you won’t be able to take him back with you.” Iolanthe explained.

“Why?” A lisping voice sounded from behind them belonging to the swollen Squalo.

“Xanxus has been in a state where he wasn’t either dead or alive. His soul was disconnected from his body and that brings serious repercussions on a person. I cannot fathom what will happen to Xanxus once he is out of the ice so he will be given a drop of Draught of Living Death to keep him in a suspended animation and monitor his state, not only physical but also psychological and even spiritual.” The Officers didn’t know what to say. They thought that releasing their Boss from the ice was all they needed to have him back, yet…

“How long will you keep him like that?” Lussuria asked.

“I don’t know.” Iolanthe shook her head. “The Ward that is flashing around him is trying to align his soul with his body. After almost two months there shouldn’t be any problems but I don’t want to take any risks. A soul is very important to us Magicals and the fact your Flames come from the Soul, then it should also be for you. I won’t be irresponsible to let Xanxus suffer when I can do my best to give him back to you in one piece and safe; no matter how long it takes.”

“We’ll be counting on you, then.” Squalo said after a moment of silence.

Iolanthe nodded. “Mimi will take you to your rooms. Don’t treat her badly.” Saying so, the House-elf appeared before them with a lowered head as if shy.

After a girl who talked in hisses and looked like a snake plus the boy who changed colors, the House-elf wasn’t that surprising to both Officers and calmly followed Mimi. Once they were inside their own rooms, they did the routine search to make sure there weren’t any strange devices in it. Not finding any, they went out and found themselves staring at the ice sculpture that was their Boss. Neither spoke and just looked at that figure that hadn’t changed in almost two years that had been encased in the ice.

“What do you think, Squalo?” Lussuria finally broke the silence.

“It’s all for the Boss.” Squalo said in a low voice.

During dinner, they finally discovered a few things. First and foremost, Iolanthe was suffering from an extreme case that was called ‘pregnancy brain’, forgetting about everything because when they entered the dining room she once again asked them why they were there. Second, the girl with the snake like features was a Maledictus that could turn into a snake; into a very poisonous king cobra snake who liked to coil around her adoptive parents when she felt extremely shy. Third, the boy was a Metamorphmagus or a Wizard that could transform into anything he wanted, proof they got when he imitated Lussuria’s crazy hairstyle enchanting the Sun Officer very much.

Finally, all that meant the Sun Arcobaleno was already a Father of two kids and was waiting for his own to be born. They were aware of the fame the Hitman had so they also felt it weird that he could be a parental figure. Despite that, Reborn didn’t look once bit an awkward figure between the small family, as if he had belonged there forever. When dinner was over, Squalo and Lussuria felt they had come out from a dream and frequently wondered if it was all real or Mist work.

Early the following morning, before the sun had risen, two blondes and two brunettes entered the guest house wearing white and black robes. Lussuria and Squalo were also forced to wear those robes. Three black robed people and three white robed people stood in front of the ice sculpture that was thawing by the second until it completely melted by sunrise. The candles burned out and the Ward disappeared without any traces, leaving Xanxus in a pool of ice water.

Nobody moved.

Suddenly, Xanxus body moved to the elation of the Officers but soon their faces turned pale when they saw him screaming and trashing around. The four Magicals acted the next second incapacitating Xanxus whose eyes were wide open and looking around in a frenzy. Iolanthe didn’t waste time to cast a Legilimency Spell on him while Astoria swished her wand non-stop doing countless examinations and calling out for several potions who Draco rapidly spelled into Xanxus body. Luna looked as if she was only staring at Xanxus but in her case, she was the most important person there.

“Harmonically Wrathful. His soul is connected back into his body but it is weak.” Luna said her verdict. Draco and Astoria nodded and quickly finished their job only waiting for Iolanthe to be done too.

Once she was out, she tiredly commanded, “Give him the potion.” Draco approached the docilely laying Xanxus and dropped a minuscule amount of the Draught of Living Death into the latter’s mouth. Xanxus slowly closed his eyes as if resisting the effects but he soon stopped moving. “Thanks for your help.” She said to her friends who nodded and made their way out. Looking at the Officers, Iolanthe’s expression turned complicated. “Are you aware of why…” She trailed off. Lussuria looked curious of her question but Squalo’s jaw minutely twitched. One knew so there was no need to ask. “Never mind. You can do your check up as soon as he’s moved into his room.”

Lussuria nodded and watched how Xanxus was levitated out of the guest house, into the main house and up into the Sunroom which had been previously prepared by Mimi. One side contained a bed with several cabinets holding all sort of potions, clothes, towels and bed sheets; there was even a tube in the corner for bathing purposes. The space was divided by a curtain to enable air to flow freely in the room. The other side had become a small resting room. The room was already an open, full of natural light and with many potted plants place designed to relax so it was the perfect place to recover.

Iolanthe left the two Officers to their devises not before letting them know they could call for Mimi if they needed something. After all, she had a Wizengamot session to tackle. A stressful Wizengamot session in which Gemma Farley became the new delegate of the ICW unanimously, the new training regime for the Aurors was approved and some laws were being revised to either improve or abolish. Iolanthe was getting the hang of derisively drawling to put someone in their place, Malfoy-style, while concisely and straightforwardly explaining her views, Potter-style.

Though at home, the kids couldn’t hold it any longer and laughed out loud when Iolanthe asked for the third time why Squalo and Lussuria were at her home. Lussuria wryly chuckled and Squalo loudly berated her earning a kick from Reborn for his insolence. Not even the Husband yelled at her and a stranger was taking liberties; he wouldn’t allow it. The time the two Officers stayed in the Potter Home was cheerfully noisy and they were even roped into the plays the family acted before bed time.

 

…

 

The following month, Reborn almost didn’t make it due to the constant revolts from several Famiglias who were forcing Nono to step down as the Head of the Vongola Famiglia and choose the Decimo. The opinions were divided. Some wanted Federico to be the Decimo while others wanted Xanxus to take the mantle. Nono basically ignored all the complaints and only focused on mitigating any attack against the Vongola and towards Federico. With two of his sons dead, Federico’s safety had become top priority. And it was Reborn that often served as a babysitter of sorts whenever Federico went out. Well, a hidden babysitter.

The Guardians were not softies either.

But when an ambush with countless enemies surrounded them, it was only thanks to Reborn’s efforts that they made it out alive. Reborn was not worried about small fish; nevertheless, he was on alert in the case the Varia decided to attack. With the knowledge that it was them who had killed Enrico and pulled the strings behind Massimo’s disappearance, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they got rid of Federico too. Adding to the fact that Xanxus had been unfrozen, then the probabilities had become higher. It was because of that reason that he had considered not going back home but he feared more Iolanthe’s rage for not going back than the repercussions of Federico dying.

And so, he quietly went back one afternoon by the end of April. He expected the welcoming of any member of his Family yet he made it till the family room and nobody had received him. He thought they had gone out but soon Mimi appeared before him.

“Master is being coming back.” She said in a low voice.

“Are they out?” He asked not explaining who was ‘they’.

Mimi shook her head. “Theys being napping.” She replied and gestured at Reborn towards the Master bedroom. Going upstairs himself, he found Iolanthe deeply asleep with a kid in each side, her bump drawing a perfect curve. “Mistress bes putting on weight makings her tired so she naps.” Mimi explained. Reborn nodded and dismissed Mimi before closing the door.

Looking at the three being so comfortable on the huge bed, Reborn thought it would be a shame if he didn’t joined them. So, after taking a quick shower, he got into the bed and napped with them. He was tired too either way. He woke up to a viridian gaze intently staring at him. A small hand was clutching at his shirt knowing it was from Teddy as he had laid down next to the boy. Green and black connected for a long time until a foot was flung over his stomach making him grunt. Iolanthe pressed her lips to stop from laughing. Though the next moment it was Reborn’s turn to stop himself from laughing as Iolanthe received a slap from Farid who violently turned to get into a comfortable position.

Luckily, Mimi saved both from being kicked and slapped around announcing Astoria had arrived for the monthly check up.

“Do you want to know if it’s a boy or a girl?” She whispered at Reborn who was carefully moving Teddy’s leg. He paused hearing her question. Did he want to know? A big part of him wanted it to be a surprise but he was aware that the curiosity might kill him if he didn’t find out.

“Let’s.” He nodded finally placing Teddy in a more comfortable position. Iolanthe did the same with Farid and both carefully got up, to then move to the living room where Astoria was waiting for Iolanthe.

“I took a look at the patient upstairs. I hope you don’t mind.” Astoria unrepentantly smiled at Iolanthe as soon as she saw her and Reborn appear.

“Not at all. You are the expert, so I would have asked you to do it anyway. How is he?” Iolanthe asked sitting on the loveseat in front of Astoria.

“His organs have no damage, however, his skin might no recover from the burns. I had thought with a good scar remover, he would be as good as new yet I found the scars left by the ice were very peculiar. The ice itself is very peculiar.” Astoria probed but got no answer from either. She knew the young man was part of that society Lord Potter belonged to and she thought it was weird to keep it all under utmost secrecy. Not getting what she wanted she moved on. “How have you been feeling?”

“Tired, fat, constipated, itchy and I have been having this feeling of hoarding blankets and food in the corner of the room and nest there.” Both Astoria and Reborn blinked and stared at Iolanthe. “Is that normal?”

“Uh, probably not.” Astoria hesitated. “But your pregnancy hasn’t been exactly ‘normal’ by any standard so it might be in your case. Maybe taking naps in your 'nest' can help or perhaps just building your ‘nest’ and seeing it there. The most important thing is to listen to your body; we don’t know how your Magic would react if you refrain yourself from doing things.” She advised. “Or you can also prepare the baby’s room if you haven’t.”

“That’s right!” Iolanthe exclaimed. She hadn’t prepared the room because she had been waiting to know if it was a boy or a girl to get specific furniture and the right colors. She was excited just thinking about decorating the room that she unconsciously grabbed her Husband’s hand. Reborn got the signal that he would have to go on the shopping trip together with her.

“Alright, let’s begin the check up; it is almost dinner time so I bet you will start feeling hungry.” Astoria interrupted Iolanthe’s fantasies. Standing up, she started casting the necessary spells to know how Iolanthe was faring and how the baby was developing. The spells helped detect any complication that would appear to either Iolanthe or the baby so they would prepare before hand and she would have a smooth birthing. “You are fine apart from the usual problems for a pregnant woman. The baby should start moving more as it has already finished forming all the important parts.” The soon-to-be Healer informed.

“May we know if it’s a boy or a girl?” Reborn suddenly interjected.

Astoria glanced at Iolanthe seeing the latter was still anticipating the answer. “Oh, I did that test the previous month but I thought you would have liked it to be a surprise.” She paused enjoying the curiosity both were exuding. She didn’t mention that she did the test just because she and Draco had made a bet; Draco had bet it was a boy because Iolanthe needed an Heir disregarding the fact the Potter Family didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl inheriting. Astoria had bet for a girl just to oppose him and she had won. “It’s a girl.”

What Astoria didn’t expect was Reborn’s reaction. Iolanthe looked happy enough and she went into fantasy-mode again probably thinking of how she would decorate the baby room. Reborn looked exhilarated, relieved, smug, proud, worried and almost melting in happiness all in the same smile; it was very interesting and funny. It seemed being a daughter’s fool not only included doting the seen girl but expecting one with all his might. 

The following morning, the family of four arrived to the entrance of Vertical Alley; though it was a bit inappropriate to call it an alley as it was a building. Located in Picadilly Circus, the building was very tall, taller than the others around it with several stores inside that consisted mostly of bistros, clothes shops and furniture shops, and that’s why it was called Vertical Alley. It wasn’t as luxurious as Perpendicular Alley but it was better than Diagon Alley’s miscellaneous stores.

Farid and Teddy gaped at the fountain right in the middle of the oval-shaped building. Water was falling from the ceiling! They had never seen something like that before and had to be dragged away from it by Reborn who had seen a lot thanks to Mists and their illusions.

Apart from getting the things for the baby, Iolanthe very graciously suggested buying clothes for everybody. They were in the middle of Spring and it would soon be Summer, so they had to get the appropriate clothing for the season. Shopping was always an exciting experience for kids who loved the variety of colors and styles so they had no problem in finding clothes for Iolanthe when they entered a women’s clothing shop. As long as they liked it, they would choose it for her even if she didn’t. Iolanthe just smiled at them fondly from where she was sitting as she was tired again. Luckily, Reborn took the task of choosing the clothes that would look good on her instead of being indiscriminate like the kids.

It was an open secret that she was horrible at choosing her clothes.

Iolanthe had to stop the kids from picking up more clothes when there was already a huge pile in front of her while the clerk started to think they would buy the whole store; though the lady refrained from saying anything as it was Iolanthe Potter, a pregnant Iolanthe Potter. Nobody knew about that tidbit of information and she was awestruck at seeing Lady Potter in that state. Recognizing the toddler in a suit as Lord Potter, many wild speculations began to form in the woman’s mind that she almost missed when Iolanthe called her to pack up the clothes they would buy, which weren’t many compared to the big pile that had accumulated. As soon as it was packed and paid for, Mimi appeared to take it away and start arranging it in the walk-in closet.

After preying on that clothes shop, the next one was a suit shop for Reborn who didn’t let the kids choose for him. Iolanthe and Farid gave up when he kept choosing black suits and Iolanthe just instructed the clerk to add a few more charms in the suits that had the standard Impervious Charm and Anti-Wrinkles one. Of course that would cost her more money but she didn’t mind as it was for her Husband. Aware he was shouldering the renovation of the Peverell castle which in a way was supporting her dream, then she didn’t care if she ended up raising her Husband. She had plenty money to last her a lifetime even if she lived it as a spendthrift.

With ten more suits in his repertoire, Reborn stopped so they could move on to choose the kids’ clothes, however, Teddy refused to buy normal kids clothes and decided to get suits too after seeing how cool they looked. As a kid, he was very easy to influence and very adamantly demanded to be bought suits. Iolanthe glanced at Reborn who had a complicated expression on his face that he was trying very hard to hide.

“Do you have suits for kids?” Iolanthe asked the clerk who had been helping them.

“We apologize, we don’t.” The man awkwardly answered. Looking at the boy who was even starting to look around the shop to see which suit he liked he thought he should help the customers. “We can do the same we did with Lord Potter’s suits if you would like.”

“Do it.” Reborn said before Iolanthe had any chance to think about it. He even went towards Teddy to help him choose some simple suits the boy could wear. Iolanthe nodded at the clerk to do as said.

 _ ** **“Mom, why Dad doesn’t like boys?”****  _Farid asked seeing Teddy and her Dad seriously choosing suits. **_**_“_** **He seems to like Teddy.”**_**

 ** _ ** _“_** **I don’t know , dear. Just leave him be.”**_** Iolanthe felt very emotional. She really didn’t know why Reborn didn’t like sons and she hadn’t asked because she feared it was a very grave reason. Either way, she was very happy seeing him treat Teddy as one. The fact he was very supportive of Teddy’s whim of wearing suits like him was very telling and she hoped that if they ever had a son of their own that he would be the same.

It wasn’t long before the guys had chosen their clothes. Sadly, there was no shop in the building that had clothes Farid liked. She didn’t feel comfortable wearing anything that weren’t sarees or lehengas. Though, since she had started training, she put the dresses aside and took out the pant sarees she hadn’t worn before with a top and trained like that. Reborn almost had a heart attack seeing her show her bellybutton around; she looked like a dancer without all those noisy accessories, more decent, except for the uncovered middle. But he endured and trained her even harder to make sure she would really be able to kick away pesky boys.

So, they went directly to the shops for babies.

With the knowledge that the baby was a girl, they walked towards the girls section. Though, somehow… it was all too pink. Iolanthe had never been raised like a real girl and often worn the hand-me-downs from her cousin who was a boy so she never associated pink with a girl. Reborn was a Hitman, the pink color wasn’t a frequent in his life. Farid, even as a girl herself, liked red, blue and purple more than pink. Teddy had just entered a facet of trying to be like Reborn so he wasn’t interested in pink.

“How… how about yellow?” Iolanthe suggested pointing towards the smaller section in yellow that also had pale green and white. Reborn nodded and had an even easier time with yellow. As a Sun, yellow was his color.

The clerk was a middle-aged woman who was very professional in what she did. She treated Iolanthe and Reborn as any other customer and not Lady and Lord Potter. She was very helpful in suggesting the necessary furniture for first-time parents and even understood their desire for their baby’s clothes to not be completely pink and commended their choice of pale yellow. She even suggested for the room to be in neutral colors for future babies. Iolanthe felt the woman was like her savior and nodded to everything she suggested.

The room would be a soft shade of grey with clouds, golden and silver stars around. The floor would be carpeted white with a small, low platform bed instead of a cot though it still had the necessary fence so the baby wouldn’t fall down. They even acquired a great variety of plush toys, cushions and pillows. They also made sure to buy a changing unit, several drawers, a playmat and even a crib for the early months. All in white, pale yellow, soft green and pale grey colors. Iolanthe also decided to buy all the toys available for babies to help in her baby’s development. Reborn thought it wasn’t necessary but Iolanthe was very stubborn with her idea.

She bought some for Teddy on the way. Farid said she was fine with playing together with Teddy and his toys. She wasn’t being modest but she thought that Teddy wouldn’t be interested in playing with her if she got more advanced toys so no, she didn’t need toys. With all the baby stuff bought, they headed for a small restaurant to eat their lunch before heading for their last stop. Horizont Alley.

Horizont Alley was a place that catered to stores from around the world. Yes, in there you could find almost anything from around the world. In this Alley, which was really an alley, full of colors of different cultures, there was a small Indian clothes shop and where Farid would get her clothes. Reborn treated the shop as his enemy because it provided his daughter with that style of clothes he disliked. Iolanthe encouraged Farid to freely choose her clothes and to ignore her grumpy Dad. It was fortunate that no matter how unhappy Reborn was, he never once said no to what Farid picked.

Though that was mostly attributed to Iolanthe’s effort and question. “Do you think I would look good with this? You know, after the baby is born.” Showing him a lehenga choli with a very small top and a very low waist skirt. He spent more time fantasizing than paying attention to what Farid was buying.

When the shopping was done, he realized he had been duped but all he got was a cheeky wink and a kiss as apology. He vowed vengeance though he had no chance to exact it as he was ordered to arrange the baby’s room in which he spent almost all his week as he also had to train Farid and Teddy and because they attended Draco and Astoria’s wedding on May 1st.

The ceremony itself was very short, at night, but the celebrations prior it were very cheerful as they were also celebrating Beltane.

Originally, it was only going to be an event between the Potters, the Lovegoods and the Malfoys but Iolanthe had persuaded Draco to invite the Weasleys too. They had spent Yule together so it would be nice to include them for the Beltane celebration.

The garden in the Black Cottage had been arranged in a myriad of flowers to welcome the garden faeries; the kids were also dressed as Faes, alluding the to the mischievous side of these Creatures. Tables with food has been place around for the invitees to enjoy while the celebration began with putting the offerings for the faeries around the garden. Farid and Teddy were animatedly running around in their colorful clothes and face paint hanging the offerings. The women were wearing white robes with flowers embroidered all over it, they also wore a flower crown. Those who were couples wore the same crown.

After the offering, everybody moved on to doing the Maypole dance holding a ribbon each and dancing around a pole to weave the ribbons. Apart from Iolanthe who was pregnant, Andromeda who had caught a cold and the babies, everybody was forced to participate. It was fun to see the elegant Malfoys slowly moving around while the Weasleys, the Lovegoods plus a Rolf, and Reborn, Farid and Teddy having fun with the music played by the House-elves. The Weasleys were very uncomfortable at first since they had never celebrated such events but with George, Angelina and Fleur’s lead, they ended up having fun.

After the dance was over, one by one created the Beltane altar with the Maypole as the center. They even did a short ritual to honor femininity. As a celebration in focused on fire and fertility, it was a must to thank women for their gift to give birth. It was even more special to Iolanthe as she was pregnant. Once the ritual was done, chairs were taken out as the wedding ceremony was going to take place.

“Friends, family, loved ones.” Lucius Malfoy began to officiate. As the patriarch of the Malfoy Family it was his right to welcome Astoria to the family by officiating the wedding. “We are all here today to see Draco and Astoria join hands and be bound together now and forever. Before we begin the ceremony, we will turn this place into sacred ground. As I cast the circle, please take a moment to wish them the best.” The circle was naturally drawn by Mother Magic that was blessing the ceremony.

“The circle itself is an infinite thing. It is magical and never-ending, never changing and yet always adaptable, a ring with no beginning and no conclusion. It goes on, knowing no boundaries or restrictions. It flourishes and blooms in the light and in the dark, laying down no ultimatums, making no demands at all. It cannot be taken away. Today is a day to celebrate the union of Draco and Astoria, as well as the House of Malfoy and the House of Greengrass. They are together as one, and so they will now light a candle of unity, to show Mother Magic that they indeed are one light burning brightly in the darkness.”

Draco and Astoria moved together to light the prepared candle in front of them. While doing that, Lucius received the rings from Narcissa.

“Draco, present the ring to Astoria.” Lucius instructed Draco as he put the rings in front of the couple. “Do you promise to show her your honor and fidelity, to share her laughter and joy, to support and stand by her in times of difficulty, to dream and hope together with her, and to spend the rest of your life with her?”

“I do.” Replied Draco without an ounce of hesitation putting the ring in her finger.

“Astoria, present the ring to Draco. Do you promise to show him your honor and fidelity, to share his laughter and joy, to support and stand by him in times of difficulty, to dream and hope together with him, and to spend the rest of your life with him?”

“I do.” Astoria smiled as she put the ringer in Draco’s finger.

“Please take each other’s hand.” Lucius continued and tied a ribbon around their wrists. “This ribbon represents the eternal connection, your vows, your pledge, your two souls now bound together as one. To finalize the ceremony, you may kiss your each other.” Lucius looked a bit constipated saying those words as it was not common for Purebloods to show affection in public.

The moment they kissed, a strong wind lifted thousands upon thousands of flower petals that circled the couple; Mother Magic obviously having blessed the union. Applause and congratulations resounded in the garden. The cake was shared with everybody soon after giving the invitees a break before Draco and Astoria lit the bonfire to continue the party. The newlyweds opened a dance around the bonfire, Luna and Rolf joining soon after. In no time, all the couples were dancing around the bonfire. With the older Malfoys and older Weasleys looking from the side. They didn’t have to join to feel the Magic pulsing in the air.

“Do you want to dance?” Iolanthe asked Reborn excited filled with energy thanks to the Magic.

Reborn turned to look at her and his eyes unconsciously fell on the noticeable bump. “Should we?” Instead of being a dance partner, he would be a burden to her.

“Give me.” Iolanthe smiled at him. Reborn paused pondering what she meant to then hand her his Pacifier. She never once took her eyes off him while her fingers worked on the Ward in the Pacifier. For a few seconds nothing happened until Reborn slowly but surely changed to his adult form. He noticed the transformation was less uncomfortable than the last time and for once he had hope. Even if he never permanently got his body back, just a few moments were enough to him.

Moments he didn’t waste to grab her hand, leading her near the bonfire to dance more sedately than the others. Minutes later they were interrupted by Farid who looked at Reborn with sparkly eyes.

“I see, I see. Wanting to ditch me for a younger one.” Iolanthe joked making Reborn laugh. “Don’t mind me. Farid wants to spend time with her handsome and cool Dad.” She winked and went back to her seat where she asked Mimi to bring her another piece of cake.

The celebration ended late. The kids were already asleep and there was only the whispering of conversations going around. The Weasleys left by Floo, same as the Lovegoods plus Rolf. Draco and Astoria decided to stay the night in the cottage. Iolanthe and Reborn silently made their way back home with only the stars illuminating their way with Reborn carrying both kids and not showing any sign of tiredness.

“How long will it last?” Reborn suddenly asked. He wondered if he would make it on time to the house and not being squashed by the kids in the way.

“I don’t know. I can make you go back to your normal body but I am still unaware of the time frame.” Iolanthe lamented. Luckily, the transformation lasted until they arrived home and put the kids on their beds. As Reborn still had his normal body, the two enjoyed a bath together with Iolanthe safely ensconced in his arms. She really missed that feeling of being protected. As she was immersed in that feeling, she inadvertently blurted, “Do you want to do the Great Rite?”

Reborn paused in his lazy rubbing of Iolanthe’s belly. The baby had been active a moment before so he was ‘communicating’. “What’s that?”

“Uh… that’s…” Iolanthe stumbled in her words catching up with what she had asked. She felt a bit ashamed of having asked that. With her body changing so drastically, she sometimes couldn’t cope with it and didn’t feel comfortable with herself. Taking a bath with her Husband was her limit but she had dared to ask that.

Reborn could guess what she meant from her sudden nervousness and red ears. “I should be asking you that.” He chuckled, knowing she was very shy at the moment and doubting herself. He could be a horny bastard but he respected her decision above that need. Silence followed his words and he thought she had taken back her offer. He wasn’t sad or disappointed as he was a bit wary of having sex with a heavily pregnant Iolanthe; he didn’t want to hurt her or the baby.

Though it seemed his worries were for naught when she suddenly stood up and glanced at him with a coy expression. “Let’s go.” Let it not be said Reborn wasn’t interested if he was given the green light, and he was more when Iolanthe decided she was the one on top. It was a torturous slow pace with an almost death grip that squeezed him so that had him gritting his teeth throughout it all just so she could enjoy herself longer. He was only thankful he changed back while they were asleep and not in the middle of the deed or that would have been uncomfortable.

 

…

 

His next free week, he also took it by the end of the month and he also returned to a silent house. However, instead of napping, he found his Wife and kids in the pavilion by the pond sitting still on the couch. He didn’t have any chance to ask what they were doing when excited yells sounded.

 ** _ ** _“She moved! She moved! Mom, she moved!”_**_**  Farid hissed in a high-pitch.  

 ** _ ** _“She did, didn’t she?”_**_**  Iolanthe replied equally excited.

“Why not here?” Teddy sulkily asked.

“Oh, my Teddy bear, you have to wait a bit longer to see her. She is afraid of the outside world, so you will have to protect her when she’s born, ok?” Teddy seriously nodded to Iolanthe’s question.

Farid imagined herself inside that belly. She was once like that and she was also afraid of the outside world. The outside world that beat her up until she found her Mom and Dad. That baby girl inside her Mom’s belly would soon see the world was not so pretty but it also had pretty things and she would protect her from any harm that could come to her. She vowed that.

 ** _ ** _“Your sister will protect you, baby girl.”_**_**  She said patting Iolanthe’s belly. Iolanthe almost cried; she had always been wondering what Farid felt about the baby and hearing her say she would protect her unborn sister was very overwhelming to her. It showed that Farid had finally accepted the new family member.

“Well said, Farid.” Reborn made his presence known by praising his daughter.

 _ **“Dad! Look! Come here!”**_ Left with no time to react, Reborn was pulled by the wrist. It just… he looked down and noticed the snake tail coiled around his wrist. The snake tail that was actually coming out from Farid’s lower body.

“What?… How?” He asked confused.

“She’s not the only one.” Iolanthe giggle and pointed at Teddy. Only then Reborn noticed the boy had wolfish ears, a tail and even paws.

“How did this happen?” Reborn was stunned.

“Teddy saw Remus and Sirius in their wolf and dog forms running around in the portraits on the full moon. He wanted to imitate them but it didn’t come out so well so he’s stuck like that. Farid is just moral support so he doesn’t feel bad.” Iolanthe explained rubbing those fluffy ears and Teddy instantly wagged his tail to show how pleased he was. “Astoria checked him up yet it seemed there was nothing wrong and would go back once he gains more control on his ability.”

“How soon will that be?” He inquired while grabbing Teddy’s paw. It was very soft but it also had very sharp claws.

“No idea. I am trying to see if I can find something in Transfiguration books, however, it will still all depend on Teddy to turn back. Remus was eighty percent worried, nineteen percent apologetic and one percent proud his son wanted to be like him.” Iolanthe chuckled. “Ow, you! Behave!” She suddenly yelped holding her belly. “Just because your Daddy is here you can’t ditch me all of a sudden.”

“There, there, behave.” Reborn patted Iolanthe’s belly one hundred percent smug to know his daughter seemed very attached to him. “Mommy will throw me to the couch because of jealousy if you keep showing favoritism towards your old man.”

“Say that without that silly smile of yours!” Iolanthe exclaimed grumpily. “Oh yeah, the kids are going to camp so be a lovely Daddy and accompany them.”

“I’m doing what now?” He asked, been caught off guard.

Iolanthe mischievously smiled. “I’ve been wanting to teach Farid Astronomy but I haven’t had the chance, so Luna and Rolf have invited the kids to camp with them at Galloway Forest Park. It has the best spot to stargaze so it’s the best place to teach Astronomy. Luna and Rolf are going there because it is fairy mating season and they want to see the dances. Now that you are here, go with them.”

It wasn’t that Reborn was reluctant, it was just that he had actually returned from a mission which required him to keep an eye on suspicious Mafiosi who had been gathering in Bosco della Baronia. He had been there for almost two week so he had had enough of forests but his Wife was sending him to another forest… He sighed while looking around at the tall trees, the happy faces of Farid and Teddy, and hearing Luna and Rolf deciding the route they would take. It was obviously not going to be a normal route. They had even entered by the back of the forest and not the normal entrance.

Though that was fine as Teddy was in a furry predicament and Farid refused to turn back unless Teddy did first. And so, four people walked while one slithered. The terrain was a bit harsh but neither kids complained; there were happily asking ‘what’s this?’ ‘what’s that?’ to Luna and Rolf who answered them without any problem. It wasn’t that Reborn didn’t know but he was more preoccupied in doing sneak attacks on Farid to see if she was still diligently training. She was able to dodge seven out of ten attacks and that’s with her struggling a bit with having a tail instead of feet.

Of course, Reborn was going a bit easy on her. If not, she wouldn’t be able to dodge any of the attacks but he was still proud of her progress. As Teddy was a mere toddler, Reborn didn’t want to go hard on him so he only improved the boy’s already monstrous stamina by timing his sprints after Reborn threw and object and made Teddy fetch it. He felt it was a bit ironic with his new features. They walked for hours doing the same and sporadically taking breaks until they reached a nice spot to pitch camp near a stream.

All around them was just the sound of leaves rustling, birds chirping, a few bugs letting themselves know and the water flowing. By the looks of it, no person had reached that part of the forest.

That night, the first Astronomy lesson started after dinner. Iolanthe hadn’t lied saying it was the best spot for stargazing; the stars looked to bright and vivid.

“The brightest star in May is Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp. It can be clearly seen until late in the night so if you manage to stay up, you might see it.” Luna began her lesson. As it was Luna teaching, everybody was laying on the grass looking at the night sky. “Right now we can already see the May constellations, or constellations best seen during May.”

Reborn had to admit that although Luna Lovegood looked very ditzy, as if she wasn’t totally there, she knew what she was doing.

“The easiest way to identify them is by first searching for the Big Dipper. You know it, right?” Luna suddenly tested Farid. That she hadn’t come out of the house to see the stars personally didn’t mean she couldn’t look it up in a book and that’s what Luna expected.

Farid nodded. _**“It’s the saucepan like figure in the sky.” She pointed to a cluster of stars. “The Big Dipper is part of the Ursa Major constellation and consists of sevent stars: Alioth, Dubhe, Merak, Alkaid, Phecda, Megrez and Mizar.”**_ She recited what she had learned.

“Good job. Now, today we will learn about the constellation right below the ‘handle’ of the Big Dipper: Canes Venatici. The three brightest stars in this constellation are Cor Caroli, Chara and La Superba. Cor Caroli is the star right below Alioth. Do you see it?” Luna asked waiting for the girl’s answer which came a moment later. “The constellation represents the hunting dogs of Boötes the Herdsman, a neighboring constellation. The dogs are known as Asterion and Chara.”

 _ **“Why are they the dogs?”**_ Farid asked confused. She had found that all the constellations had some sort of story attached to them.

“Oh well, that was all a mistake in the translations from Greek to Arabic and from Arabic to Latin resulting in them being dogs.”

At the end, Farid wasn’t able to stay awake to see Vega and Teddy had long gone to sleep being put to bed by Reborn. The following days, Farid learned about the Coma Berenices Constellation and the Virgo Constellation at night while she learned about surviving in the wilderness with Reborn in the morning and afternoon. It was harsh training for an almost six-year old but Reborn never once hesitated and Farid never once complained, even if she ended up hurt and sore all over her body. The only good point of it all was that there was no danger of her getting sick. Unless she ate things she wasn’t supposed to.

“Dad.”

“Hm?” Reborn paused. He had been following Farid in her search of edible food so there was no reason for her to call him. That only left…

“There be weird smell.” Teddy tightly clutched the back of Reborn’s jacket. Forget about weird smells, since when had Teddy been following him? Why were all these kids sneaky creepers? Was he getting old? Though what was more surprising for Reborn was the fact Teddy freely calling him Dad. The Hitman had decided to raise Teddy as a son, just like Iolanthe. He, however, never expected the boy to call him Dad. He didn’t know how to feel. He was taken out of his musings when he heard a growl and a threatening hiss.

Turning around, his heart almost stopped seeing his daughter face to face with a wolf. They had walked far up the forest and he never thought they would find one as they lived further north. The wolf must have migrated a long way and they had unluckily been discovered by it; no wonder Teddy said there was a weird smell. It was the wolf’s territory. Farid had already turned into a snaked and was threateningly flaring her hood at the wolf who didn’t give her any chance to think what to do before it attacked. The wolf was very experienced and instantly subdued Farid who was still a hatchling despite being a very venomous snake.

Reborn was about to act when he saw something moving from the corner of his eye making him stop. He felt the scene before him was surreal. A wolf cub had thrown itself at the bigger wolf managing to move it aside to let the snake under its big paw to escape. A miserable yelp sounded next when the bigger wolf clawed at the cub. Reborn could feel his scalp tingling and his only thought was that Iolanthe was going to kill him. It was that thought which made him move, yet something was faster than him and delivered a fatal blow to the wolf.

The wolf yelped and jumped back only to totter and topple on the ground, its breathing was ragged and foam was coming out from its mouth. Not even a minute later the wolf died and the triumphant snake hurriedly transformed into a girl who ran towards the wolf cub. This time Reborn did act and appeared right by Teddy’s side. Injecting his Flames in the boy, he sighed relieved knowing he was just passed out from a concussion and nothing serious happened to him.

 ** _ ** _“Is-is he alright? He’s not dead, right? Tell me, Dad!”_**_** Farid hysterically asked. If it wasn’t for Teddy’s help perhaps she would… she hicupped and began to wail. She was so scared that she even began calling for Iolanthe. Reborn let her flush out her emotions while he made quick work on Teddy’s scratches with the first-aid he tended to let Leon carry, then he put the boy on his back.

“Move, Farid.” He commanded. The girl didn’t stop crying but she dutifully followed Reborn. On the way, Teddy had changed back from wolf to human with no extra appendices or different parts. Back in the camp, Reborn noticed Luna and Rolf weren’t back from their own exploration so he directly put Teddy on his bed in the amplified tent. Farid had stopped crying and was awkwardly standing by Teddy’s bed. “Are you hurt?” Reborn asked her.

Farid shook her head but then hissed in pain when Reborn mildly poked her right shoulder.

“Liar.” Reborn exposed her. Her shoulder was badly bruised from when the wolf had stomped her. The Flames he inserted from that poke were already helping with the bruise but he still looked up for a pain reliever and ointment in the potions case Iolanthe had told him to carry, just in case.

Teddy woke up before dinner looking mighty lost until he found Farid sitting by his bed in a daze. He threw himself to her hugging her for dear life and loudly crying. Farid who had already calmed down once again cried together with Teddy while clutching the smaller body. Reborn entered the tent to find them in that position and he sighed. He didn’t feel guilty because he didn’t know they would find a wolf. He did regret not acting quickly letting the kids get hurt but most of all…

“I’m proud of you two.” He said as he patted their heads. His only reply was an armful of kids leaving tears and snot on his suit. Despite the advantages they had from their abilities, the fact they had faced an enemy bigger, stronger and more experienced than them managing to defeat it was truly praiseworthy. They were barely five and two so they must have been really scared yet with the help of the other they came out victorious. He only hoped the experienced wouldn’t frightened them badly so they would grow up from it and become even stronger.

He had worried for nothing though when Teddy happily and vividly recounted the event to Iolanthe when they were back making the witch faint putting the house in a frenzy, worried for her.

 

…

 

The next month, Reborn returned with a pile of presents. Some were for Teddy and Farid while most were for Iolanthe who was giving him the cold shoulder for what happened while he camped with the kids. Iolanthe was not impressed by his presents though she didn’t reject them either so it was a good sign for him. Before going to sleep that night, Reborn even knelt before her and apologize for the nth time.

“Forgive me, Iolanthe, for letting the kids get hurt. I won’t do it again!” He looked at the haughty figure sitting on the bed with pleading eyes.

Iolanthe stared at him with a calm expression, then her hand made a beckoning motion. Reborn thought he was forgiven but instead his Pacifier wet flying onto the palm of her hand. Iolanthe tapped it a few times to let him return to his normal body. Reborn was unsure what she wanted so he remained kneeling.

“It’s more sincere this way.” She whispered.

Reborn was stumped, how was it more sincere? Either way he was kneeling. Nevertheless, throwing away pride and dignity, he moved forward on his knees until he ended up in front of Iolanthe, his arms easily encircling her middle. Belly and all.

“Forgive me. It really was unexpected and I have no excuse for not interfering with the fight. It all happened so fast that I had no chance to react. It was my bad. As an expert Hitman my actions were not up to par and let mere children deal with it. I am a bastard, a bad Father, I… I don’t even deserve the one who will be born soon.” He pleaded once again though his words turned pessimistic at the end.

“I am just disappointed, Renato.” Iolanthe softly said though her words were extremely loud to him. “I know we are not their biological parents but I still want them to have a happy life without these stunts. Or is it because they are not ours that you treat them like that?”

“No! It’s not like that.” Her words spooked him. He may be a cruel bastard but he would never be like that towards his budding Family.

“Then?” She solemnly asked.

“It was my mistake. I know I am wrong but…” His eyes fell from Iolanthe’s intense ones to the bulge where his second daughter was. “but as a Father, I want them to be strong. It might be due to my childhood, Iolanthe, but I rather see them hurt now and learn from these experiences than be weak and easy prey for others when they are older. I don’t ask for much, just for you to give me the chance to teach them, to let me be a Father to them.”

There was more he would have liked to say but he stopped himself from voicing it. He liked being called Dad by Farid and Teddy. He felt very accomplished and needed. They didn’t look for him to go kill someone but for small things like wanting to play, to tell them a story, to tie shoelaces and eat burnt chocolates. It was the simplicity of that life that he yearned after walking the darkness that was his life. He didn’t want to lose it.

“I was afraid, Renato. I am afraid.” Iolanthe repeated over and over again hugging him back while silent tears spilled on his hair. She never said what she was afraid of and Reborn never tried to guess.

That week, Iolanthe caught a cold and was pampered by her Husband, her daughter and her son. She never stopped smiling seeing the kids often ask if she was better, if she felt pain, if she wanted to something to eat, if she needed a massage which was more tickling from their small hands. Reborn watched it all in amusement but he too never left her side.

 

…

 

Reborn was in the middle of an important negotiation when he received a letter saying his daughter had been born.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: There were some bold and italics missing from Farid's dialogue and I noticed there were some link there... If you checked them out, good for you. I do have a page from which I take out the Sabbat stuff as I am learning too :D
> 
> And yes, sometimes I am lazy to type so I copy/paste.  
> All the credit for that amazing knowledge to those sites as I am stupid and not learned xD


	43. The amateur, daughter's fool Dad.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the baby born, the Potter family has a new hobby: trying to ingratiate themselves with the new family member.
> 
> Iolanthe makes progress in the Wizengamot and Xanxus awakens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter on Thursday!!!... oh never mind, past midnight, already Friday... Q.Q
> 
> I know I said this chapter Reborn would finally go to Japan but.... I noticed there are a few things without conclusion before that time so I am trying to wrap them up. I still need to do a bit about Xanxus and the Peverell castle. Only then Reborn is finally shipped to Japan with a ribbon on his head xD
> 
> I just didn't feel comfortable doing a sudden three year time skip in the middle of a chapter so, chapter 45 officially beginning the KHR timeline, I PROMISE!
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!
> 
> PS. For those wanting to imagine a melting Reborn... https://tenor.com/view/lovemeltpanda-gif-9404837

* * *

 

 

“Negotiations didn’t go as expected. They don’t like the environment in Italy, the uncertainty. They demand you to personally go as a show of sincerity or to at least send someone who is actually a Vongola.” Reborn reported to Nono.

Nono sighed and leaned on his chair. “Federico is not ready.” Nono mumbled.

“You say that but how do you know he is not?” Reborn countered.

“I have a vision, Reborn, and Federico is not ready for it.” The Vongola Head commented.

“Forgive me for saying this, Nono, but I think you are being naive. The more you delay nominating someone to be Decimo, the longer you are putting your remaining son and others in dangers; specially your allies who are waiting with baited breath for you to give them a direction to follow. If you cannot do that, then your vision will be useless when everything crumbles down.”

“You have changed, Reborn.” Timoteo Vongola said with a smile on his face. “I had hoped that you would understand what I want to do but it seems that chance is already gone.”

Reborn suddenly felt he was missing something, that Nono was trying to tell him something he was failing to grasp. But he had no time to think about it; his daughter had been born more than a week ago and he was impatient to go back home. “If you have plans, that’s fine. I just wanted you to know that the Mafia World is waiting for a Decimo. If Federico isn’t the correct candidate, then you should start looking for alternatives then.”

“If that happens, will I count with your help?” All of a sudden, Reborn felt as if he was being tested. If it was before, he would have bristled even if he wouldn’t show it; however, at that moment he just calmly regarded the old man sitting in front of him. Timoteo Vongola was like Daniela, as long as you didn’t know they were Heads of the most powerful Mafia Famiglia, you would think they were harmless people.

Daniela was an intense person in her peak. Always in the move, always fighting, always scheming; her actions were very obvious but there were hidden ploys underneath. Timoteo, instead was the opposite oh her; for the most part, he was a placid person that wouldn’t say or do much yet his actions always brought huge consequences to those around him. Reborn would like to think that he could mostly guess what Nono was thinking but lately it seemed they couldn’t connect. He was afraid he was unable to read the Vongola Head anymore and that sent an alarm in his mind.

“As an Arcobaleno, it is my duty to see the Mafia World still standing.” Reborn replied not caring if Nono understood his words or not. With what he knew about the Curse thanks to Iolanthe, he had come to accept that his life was no longer his. As long as he was an Arcobaleno, he was totally tied not only to his fellow Arcobalenos but to those who also bore the Vongola rings. Regardless of who ended up as Decimo, he still had an obligation towards them.

As expected, Nono didn’t understand Reborn’s words. As much as the Hitman was unable to read Nono, Nono also was unaware of what their Hitman had in his mind. However, Reborn was part of the Vongola, so there was no need to doubt him. As murderous as the Arcobaleno was, he was still loyal to those who were loyal to him.

“Go home, Reborn.” Nono said clearly dismissing him. There was no need to worry about Reborn. Timoteo closed his eyes, resting. He didn’t open them even when someone entered the study moments later. “Is it true what you told me?”

“I just came from confirming the matter.” The newcomer replied. “We will just have to wait for a couple of years.”

“We still have time.”

“What about Reborn?”

Timoteo opened his eyes. “I will leave it in his hands.”

“Are you sure? He-”

“He’s the best option; unless you want to do it yourself.”

That silenced the newcomer and just went out without being told to.

 

…

 

Reborn wasn’t nervous until he arrived at the door of the Potter Home. His daughter was already over a week-old and he had missed her birth. Hell, he didn’t even know if Iolanthe had already named her as they had never talked about names. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the house. The living room was silent so he kept walking. The greenhouse was also silent telling him his Family was in the family room. The door automatically opened the moment he got near and what greeted him was the desolate crying of a baby as Iolanthe paced around the room trying to appease the cries.

He remained immobile for a moment just taking in the scene in front of him. Iolanthe was wearing a short sleeveless blue dress with her hair tied in a messy bun. He could discern her tired countenance but she still stubbornly paced their daughter around as if she wasn’t wailing by Iolanthe’s ear. And as his Wife had said, the baby’s hair was all over the place, sticking out as if it had life on its own. He wasn’t sure if he should be sorry or think it was adorable.

“Renato.” Iolanthe’s voice took him out of his stupor.

She looked at him with an expression he couldn’t comprehend. Actually, he needed a moment to understand what happened next; Iolanthe walked towards him with a weird smile, then put the baby girl in his arms and finally disappeared in a crack. He stupidly stood there, not knowing what had happened and most certainly not knowing what to do; even holding the baby was awkward to him. But he put himself together when he felt someone tapping him. Well, tapping was too pretentious on his part as his daughter was just swinging her arms around and accidentally smacked him.

And black met black.

“Ciaossu, I’m your Dad.” He secretly whispered to her. There were many things he felt unsure of but he was certain that he wouldn’t put her down soon.

“Master bes feeding her?” Dew’s voice broke the Father-Daughter moment.

“She hasn’t eaten?” He asked looking up.

“She wokes up from sleeping cryings, Mistress didn’t has chance to feed her.” Dew relayed.

“Oh.” Reborn nodded deciding he would feed his daughter. “How do I do it?” Of course, he first had to know what to do.

And so Dew instructed the first-time Dad, Reborn to get comfortable on a seat. She then passed a bottle of breast milk Iolanthe had prepared beforehand and shakily placed it on the little mouth that hungrily latched onto the bottle nipple and strongly sucked on it. Reborn never once moved his eyes off her face trying to see traces of his Wife in it. However, he sadly failed in doing so and had to admit that she looked more like him. It wasn’t hard to compare as he had the face of a baby. For a moment, he felt a great feeling of loss as his daughter wasn’t a copy of his Wife but he soon forgot about it as she intently stared at him.

The messy hair officially looked adorable and the rosy, chubby face looked even more making the amateur, daughter’s fool Dad melt then and there. Monstrous possessiveness and pride were born in his heart.

Feeding time was over when his daughter spit the bottle nipple. The nanny House-elf instantly indicated him to burp her. Though, he failed to hear that he needed a napkin and only noticed after his daughter had spilled some of the milk she had drank on his shoulder. Nevertheless, the amateur, daughter’s fool Dad didn’t mind and just brightly smiled at his little Sun as if she had done an amazing deed.

“Where is Iolanthe?” He finally remembered about his Wife who had disappeared and asked.

Dew fidgeted for a bit before replying, “Mistress not bes sleeping well these days so she musts be sleeping.”

Shame and guilt flashed in Reborn’s eyes. “What about Farid and Teddy?”

“Theys be camping again with Missys Luna and Mister Scaramander. They left yesterday.” Dew dutifully answered. “Master should be putting Missy to sleep.” She suddenly pointed out.

Looking down, Reborn noticed that his daughter eyes were slowly closing, ready to sleep again after being fed. Once again the amateur, daughter’s fool Dad melted and even pecked those chubby cheeks that smelled of milk and that inherent aroma of a baby. As the baby still slept in the crib up in the Master Bedroom, Reborn slowly, awkwardly and stiltedly made his way up. Right, it seemed it wasn’t the same doing a short walk towards an armchair than a long one upstairs. That minimal confidence of a good Father he started to gather was quickly crumbling apart.

Luckily, the door automatically opened and he had no issue with it, when he truly despaired and questioned his life was when he stood in front of the crib. Life didn’t want him to be a good Father that’s why he never paid attention when buying the tall crib he couldn’t even reach. His daughter even started to fuss as she felt uncomfortable sleeping in his small arms and he panicked.

“No, no, go to sleep. Sleep.” After all, his Wife was sweetly napping on the bed. But his daughter had other plans and she got louder.

“Bring her here.” Iolanthe’s groggy voice sounded. Reborn dejectedly climbed onto the bed and placed his daughter next to Iolanthe, only then she calmed down and went back to sleep. “She likes the bed as it kind of has your smell on it.” Iolanthe explained covering the baby girl with a small blanket.

“I am reeking here and she just likes the subtle smells? Since when she is so fancy?” Reborn wanted to pout but… well, he pouted a bit making Iolanthe chuckle.

“Go take a shower and rest, you must be tired.” Iolanthe gently pushed him towards the direction of the bathroom.

He wouldn’t let his also tired Wife tell him twice and he rapidly washed himself to go back to his ladies. Quickly greeting Iolanthe with a peck, he walked around and plopped himself down next to his daughter. Iolanthe was amused by his antics and left him be. It was certainly different having a kid of your own, specially one that depended on you for everything. Farid was soon going to be six doing many things on her own and while Teddy sometimes needed help for some things, he relied mostly on his big sister Farid for them, even if she was a kid herself. Iolanthe guessed it was some sort of animalistic bond between them

One being half wolf and the other half snake. It was cute and she didn’t want to interfere in that bond.

Though she also felt she was on the losing side with her biological daughter who liked her Daddy more. Proof of it was that she stopped crying the moment Iolanthe put her in Reborn’s arms. Sadness crept her heart but she was too tired to dwell on it and quickly fell asleep only to be woken up by her daughter, the traitor.

“You know, there is no way you can’t say she’s not yours.” Iolanthe secretly smiled.

“She looks eight points out of ten like me, Iolanthe. She is mine.” Reborn replied while staring at the placidly sleeping baby as if trying to engrave her features in his mind.

“Not only because of that,” Iolanthe said. “Look here.” She carefully combed the messiness that was their daughter’s hair and Reborn started to feel ridiculous as soon as he noticed what Iolanthe meant. “Nine points out of ten.” She joked with a giggle. The Hitman should have seen it coming. Or more like, should have noticed before with how close he was to her.

Among the tangled mess of sticking out half curls, there, beside her ears were two evident curly sideburns just like his. He didn’t know if she should laugh or not.

“Tell me about her.” He asked instead.

“Adhara Gia Potter-Sinclair.” She presented their daughter. “Sirius almost cried when he heard I named our daughter like the second brightest star in Canis Major, right after the Sirius star; though it also means orange blossom.” Reborn knew what she did there and just smiled. “Gia because she’s my gift, as she was born a few minutes before July 31st.”

“Sorry about that.” Reborn immediately apologized because he really was sorry for not making it on time for his free week on July therefore missing his daughter’s birth.

Iolanthe shook her head, not minding at all. “I spent an unusual birthday with the kids. We stared at Adhara the whole day almost reverently mostly because she had this small yellow Flame burning on her forehead the whole day. Astoria, who assisted on the birth and checked up how healthy our daughter is, wanted to ask but didn’t at the end, so I guess we are still safe.”

Pride filled Reborn’s entire being knowing his daughter had maintained the Dying Will Mode for a whole day. “Was that the only day or she does it frequently?” He didn’t want to admit that he wanted to know how strong his daughter’s Flames were. And with the knowledge that Iolanthe’s Magic and his Flames had messed around when they were making Adhara, then he was sure that her Flames wouldn’t be normal.

“She does it frequently…” Saying so, Reborn was able to witness firsthand as Adhara’s forehead created a tiny yellow Flame that expanded as she whimpered and outright wailed. “…when she has soiled her diaper.” Iolanthe finished. Reborn’s excitement doused a bit as he watched Iolanthe slowly but neatly clean Adhara and change her diaper. “She can’t control them, Renato, so this might not be the only way she makes them appear. It will be your responsibility to instruct her as Flames and Magic are not the same. I can’t teach her the same things I do with Farid and Teddy.”

Reborn’s excitement once again soared just picturing all the things he would be able to teach his daughter; the fact she also had Sun Flames made it all easier as it would not only mean training her physically. Of course, he first needed to go through the nightmare of taking care of a newborn. Meaning, sleepless nights, soiled diapers to change, wailing Adhara to feed, heavenly cat naps to take and the joy -not- of giving Adhara her first bath instead of carefully cleaning her. If it wasn’t because Adhara was his daughter, he would have run away ages ago.

And that trend continued for a couple of months that he almost felt his job was vacation and his vacation was his job. When Adhara was three months old, she was starting to sleep through the night and Iolanthe was finally getting her well-deserved rest, though Adhara thought her Mom was lazying around too much and woke up in the middle of the night because she had soiled her diaper and she really didn’t like that.

“Iolanthe.”

“Gimme a second, love.” She absentmindedly replied while doing a rapid work with the wiping and changing, levitating the things out from the sole cabinet they put in the room for the first months their daughter would sleep in the main bedroom.

“Iolanthe.”

“Almost done, almost done.” With her eyes half-closed, Iolanthe could see the messy hair from her daughter tangled from sleep and she smiled. “Don’t cry, baby, Mommy is almost done.” She soothed still hearing her cry.

“Iolanthe, you got the wrong baby.” Reborn finally said with a bit of sorrow in his voice. His Wife had expertly undressed him for the wrong reason and he had the embarrassing experience of being wiped by her.

His words startled Iolanthe awake and looked down finally noticing she really got the wrong baby. Though seeing his expression was pure gold and started to laugh. “I’m sorry, Renato.” She apologized giving him a loud kiss to then put him back on the bed and went to the real baby who needed her help. “The world is not ending, Adhara dear. Your Daddy also needs love, not just you.” She gently chided the screaming baby while she quickly cleaned her up. “There, there. Don’t go all burning Flames on me.”

Reborn shook his head with a smile on his face, taking off the diaper he was forced to wear and put his pajamas on.

At three months, their daughter was more lively and together with two more kids who were even livelier, it was tiring to parent them. Farid was more reasonable but the fact her birthday -the day she was adopted- was near filled her with insurmountable energy that even Reborn sometimes couldn’t keep up with her. Add to that the I-never-get-tired Teddy, then the poor Sun Arcobaleno had his hands full as Iolanthe still needed to keep up with Wizengamot matters, treat Xanxus and even plan for the Peverell castle.

Whenever he was home, he instantly became everybody’s toy.

“You want to go with Daddy? Please say yes, Mommy still has to work in the morning.”

Iolanthe’s words took him out of his thoughts and the next thing he saw was his daughter’s sad face while she tried to grab him. Once again, the daughter’s fool melted right then and there, and reached for her. The only thing Reborn lamented was that Adhara was a bit taller than him at three months old. It was obvious she would be a tall woman when she grew up, taking up after him. To let Iolanthe sleep peacefully, he moved towards the hearth in the room and sat on one of the armchairs. He whisper-talked with her until she fell asleep and recruited the help of Petal to levitate her into the crib so she could comfortably sleep while he went back to the bed and to Iolanthe’s arms.

 

…

 

“After much consideration, we are taking a vote now.” The Chief Warlock stated. “Those in favor to pass the project.” More than half the hands were raised. “Those opposing it.” A minimal amount raised their hands with a few actually abstaining from voting. “The project is approved.”

Iolanthe let out a small sigh of relief. It had been a long process but the project to improve the way Wizards traveled from one country to another was finally going to happen. Gemma had done an amazing job convincing all those people from the ICW to accept it, talk about it in their own Ministries and approve it before the proposal came from the ICW itself. Of course, it was worded in a way that showed as if the countries wanted to find a way to be closer to each other and that is how Marcus Flint came into the picture with his ‘attempt’ at a new project.

The only thing that was left was to implement it.

The first step was to transfer the Department of Magical Transportation together with the Department of International Magical Cooperation out of the Ministry and into another building. Building that Iolanthe had already prepared beforehand for it. The major reason why the project was approved was the matter of security. Whenever one used an International Portkey, one would end up inside the Ministry to register their visit and do the corresponding procedures. Perhaps no Wizard had thought about it before, but it was easy for foreign wizards to take control of the Ministry in case of an attack.

As such, the fact the Department of Magical Transportation would be moved out to prevent that was a relief to those people who were very cowardly.

The second step was to design the Portkey Offices to make the new traveling method easier. The project itself pointed out this matter. Taking Vertical Alley as an example, the building was circular with the top floors working as the Portkey Offices. For each country there would be a Portkey connecting to it, eliminating the process of having to make a Portkey for each person constantly and only leaving the procedures of stating the reason to visit, how many people, etc.. Another important thing was the heavy Wards placed in those top floors. If there was someone in polyjuice trying to impersonate a person, someone with bad intentions or someone trying to smuggle illegal creatures and/or substances, then the person wouldn’t be able to even leave the room in which the Portkey was to be placed.

That was to isolate the problem and not let it spread out.

The design was praised by many Wizengamot members and were looking forward to when the building started working. It would take approximately one month to implement it in Britain and they had to wait for the other countries to finish on their end, too. It was the first time something so big happened that involved all the Wizarding communities around the world that the Media was having a field day with it competing with the news of the Quidditch World Cup which was in the qualifiers stage.

“To finalize our session, we are addressing a matter arisen by the Auror Force regarding the new training programme.” Chief Warlock Hayes said.

“Is there a problem with it?” One of the Lords who had supported the new training asked.

Chief Warlock Hayes paused and read the key point in the parchment he was given. “As Aurors, it is vital to focus on the Magical aspect of our training, how to use the different Spells to maximize our expertise in catching Dark Wizards or those breaking the law. Splitting that focus into heavily training our physical aspect is burdensome and unnecessary. We ask the training programme to be changed anew, leaving our previous physical load as it was before and add another course -if there is any- to improve our Magical abilities.”

Murmurs began after hearing the statement.

“It seems your proposal was met with reticence, Lady Potter. What do you have to say about that?” One Lord mocked.

“Those people who signed that petition; if they are recruits, fail them and if they are actual Aurors, remove them from their post.” Iolanthe placidly said. Outrage resounded in the room from those who had been opposed to implementing a new training programme.

“Silence!” Chief Warlock Hayes banged his gavel loudly successfully silencing those noisy ones. “Let’s hear Lady Potter’s words until the end.” Then, he gestured Iolanthe to continue.

“Thank you, Chief Warlock.” Iolanthe nodded and then faced the whole room from her vantage point. “I assure you, my Lords and my Ladies, that my intention to propose the new training programme was never to cripple our already subpar Auror Force; on the contrary, I wanted to improve their abilities and make them even more all-rounded. As you know or may have forgotten,” she pointedly looked at those who were previously protesting. “The new physical regime was created with the intention to cover one of the problems that was evident in the Aurors from the times of war. Snatchers ran rampart because not one Auror could keep up with them when it came to pursuit and that was due to poor physical conditioning. I, myself, had been pursuit by them and they were very good at their jobs, successfully capturing me and my friends.”

“We understand your point, Lady Potter.” Someone from the neutral faction began. “However, the problem is that the Aurors want to focus on improving their Magical abilities instead of their physical ones and by the tone of that statement, it seemed the latter is hindering the former one.”

Iolanthe nodded, accepting that Lady’s point of view. “And that’s why those recruits are no good. My own six-year-old daughter is able to complete the circuit in fifteen minutes. I cannot accept that young men and women are unable to.”

Her words stumped the room. By then, many articles regarding Lady Potter’s family had been published. They not only uncovered the fact Iolanthe Potter had an adopted daughter but also the fact that she was raising her Godson, Edward Lupin; an orphan from the recent war. More surprising was the fact that many people had seen her pregnant and had given birth not long ago. The Lords and Ladies blamed the loose Wizengamot robe for not noticing before. But they digressed. Many were skeptical of what she had said.

“It’s not that we don’t believe you, Lady Potter…” A Lord who had constantly supported her tried to help.

“Lady Potter is never one to make baseless statements.” Lucius Malfoy jumped to the opportunity to deride those useless Lords and Ladies and earn brownie points with Iolanthe. “If she says so, then it means it is true. Why don’t we make her daughter run the circuit in the time she stipulated? In the case the girl makes it, then we do as Lady Potter suggested and we fail all those who rose the petition. In case the girl fails, then we change the training programme. After all, Lady Potter’s words hold some truth; what use is there for Aurors who cannot even catch a running kneazle?”

Unsaid was the fact that if the girl failed and the programme was changed, then Lady Potter would lose credibility in the Wizengamot and that was something none of the Lords wanted. Iolanthe wondered if Lucius was actually helping her or not.

“Lady Potter?” Chief Warlock Hayes prompted. The rest of the Wizengamot had acquiesced to Lord Malfoy’s idea and were just waiting for her to accept.

“Very well. Let’s do this as soon as possible and make the test today at three in the afternoon in the Auror Training Camp.” Iolanthe said to conclude the matter.

“And with this the session for today is over. Don’t forget that we need your cooperation in the agreed time and place.” Chief Warlock Hayes reminded the whole body before they started standing up and leaving.

Walking down the hallways of Level Ten to soon getting into one of the lifts, Draco turned to Iolanthe and asked, “How confident are you?”

“Very, Draco. They can make fun of me but not of my daughter.” Iolanthe answered in a clipped tone.

That silenced the blonde young man. It was not unknown that Iolanthe was very protective of her children, adopted or biological. He had a minor doubt too that Farid would be able to complete an Auror circuit in fifteen minutes. Though thinking about Lord Potter’s spartan training, then those doubts vanished. He had not only been a witness but also an unfortunate participant when he expressed his interest in going with them to walk around the small forest behind the Potter’s Home. Iolanthe had told him there were some potions ingredients he should harvest before the change in season.

He regretted having accompanied them. Neither the man, the girl and even the toddler boy were human.

After Flooing to the Black Cottage, Draco and Iolanthe made their way up to the Potter Home. Draco had to replenish some of the more complex potions being used for Xanxus and wanted to get lunch on the way. As they got near, they could already hear the yelling, laughing and mess the kids were doing. Draco was startled by the noise while Iolanthe was used to it. After almost a year of learning the first year curriculum, Farid had been focusing on using what she had learned in all sort of situations. Though the major reason was because her Magic was still unstable and Iolanthe didn’t want to teach her more advanced Spells afraid Farid would get hurt.

Iolanthe suddenly extended her arm and her hand caught something that was flying towards her. Opening her palm, she noticed it was a Snitch, a Snitch that turned out to be Leon. The chameleon acted cute for a moment before jumping down and to return to its owner.

 ** _ ** _“Mom! That was so awesome!”_**_** Farid gushed while running like a rocket and throwing herself towards Iolanthe. **_**_“Teach me!”_**_**

 ** _ ** _“That, Farid, is called innate talent.”_**_** Iolanthe teased making the girl pout. **_**_“But practice can also help you, so don’t give up.”_**_**  She then advised to not let her feel down. **_**_“Where are your Dad and Teddy? Is your sister fine?”_**_**

Farid giggled seeing her Mom all flustered. **_**_“They should be hiding. It’s catch-and-track today. Adhara must be napping.”_**_** Iolanthe sighed exasperated at the way her Husband played with the kids. It was either training, training or training in each game; she didn’t know if he should applaud his effort as the kids did have fun with the games or scold him for treating the kids as part of the Mafia.

“Let’s call them over.” She sighed and cast a Patronus to summon them. **_**_“Have you eaten lunch yet?”_**_** She asked the girl while the three made their way into the house.

 ** _ ** _“Not yet. We got carried away-”_**_** The sudden cries of Adhara cut her off the moment they entered the house. Contrary to being annoyed, Farid ran towards her crying sister who had woken up from her nap and had seen no one around her. She was used to seeing, hearing or smelling people near her so to wake up completely alone made her cry to get attention. **_**_“Don’t cry, baby girl, your sister is here.”_**_** Farid had gone through self-training on how to hold a baby from Petal and Dew so she could easily carry Adhara around.

“Look at you. Hogging attention for yourself.” Iolanthe poked her youngest daughter’s chubby cheeks as the latter’s cries subsided and proceeded to put her hand into her mouth and drool all over it. As Farid had a unique way to speak, it was easy for Adhara to recognize her. “First you take away my Husband and now you take away my Farid.” Iolanthe mocked-complained while she kept poking those cheeks.

“You are back.” Reborn said seeing his Wife standing in the middle of the living room.

“I am back.” Iolanthe replied, beaming at him.

“Oh, Adhara is awake.” And that’s how Iolanthe only got a greeting of a few words before being ditched.

“Welcome home, Mom!” Teddy excitedly said while giving her a hug. Just when she thought she was receiving a bit of love, Teddy also ran towards the baby.

Iolanthe sighed seeing everybody cooing and trying to make Adhara smile or laugh. It had become a competition of sorts between them from the moment they realized she had learned to do so. And that was how she only interacted with her daughter whenever she was breastfeeding her. At that point, Iolanthe wondered if her daughter only saw her as the food source and nothing else. Glancing at Draco who was more than ignored by her family, she followed him up into the Sunroom. They stayed silent while he replenished the potions cabinets and she did the routine check up on Xanxus.

“Have you planned what to do with him?” Draco asked, done with his task.

“Astoria said his organs and body are back to normal even if she couldn’t do anything with the scars. His mind is a bit complicated according to that time I was able to check it. His memories were a mess and all over the place; specially the memories of the time he was trapped in the ice. I think it is time to wake him up.” Iolanthe looked at the teenager… correction, young man on the bed. Thanks to Draco’s potions, instead of looking the same as the time he suffered his calamity he had been progressively ageing and looked the age he was supposed to be. There weren’t many changes but they were still noticeable.

“I recommend the Sleeping Potion. It will only make him sleep but he will dream, that way it might help him cope a bit with what happened to him after adding whatever you plan to do.” Draco suggested. He was not a certified Healer but nobody knew the effects a potion had on a person better than him.

“The sooner, the better. I will do it tonight.” Iolanthe decided.

“I will make you the first batch today. A week’s doses is fine?”

Iolanthe nodded. “Should be. I will deposit the money in your account in Gringotts.”

“You know that’s not-” Draco flustered.

“It’s your job, Draco. I’m not doing it out of pity or thinking you are charity but because I see the worth in what you do, please don’t undermine my feelings.” Iolanthe wouldn’t have it and immediately threw her reasons. Seeing him still be reticent to the idea she put all the cards on the table. “Don’t make me give the money directly to Astoria and let you know you are receiving money from me.” She threatened.

“Alright, alright! Geez, you and your dirty methods.” Draco gave up. Astoria had no idea he was receiving money from Iolanthe for the potions because he had noticed it himself recently. Like his Wife, he felt uncomfortable being paid by Iolanthe as they thought money would ruin what they had built up. They didn’t want the friendship to be of benefits like most Slytherin friendships turn out to be. However, as much as Iolanthe appreciated their friendship, she was also a fair person.

“You should just shut up and take my money.” Iolanthe said in a dulcet tone and patted his cheek like a good boy.

“Lunch is ready.” The suddenness of the statement from a new voice startled them and both turned towards the curtain where Reborn stood by.

Iolanthe instantly calmed down and inconspicuously put her wand back into the holster she carried it in. “Thanks. I will go feed Adhara before eating myself.” She quickly walked out leaving the two men together with the unconscious one. Reborn looked at Iolanthe striding out of the room and then turned to stare at Draco with squinted eyes.

Draco felt a shiver run down his spine. “Don’t look at me that way! I am happily married and trying for a kid. You can have crazy Iolanthe for yourself.” His response was only a nod from Reborn who rapidly made his way out. Draco sighed and glanced at Xanxus lying like the dead on the bed. “I hope you don’t get too friendly with her, I say it for your own good.”

During lunch, Iolanthe recounted what happened in the Wizengamot session and how Farid had the opportunity to go slap some whiny adult faces for being useless. Reborn happily approved her participation as if it was up to him to decide. Farid hesitated at first yet seeing her Dad’s excited face and her Mom’s anticipating one, she relented and vowed to do her best. So, before three in the afternoon, the carriage was readied to take them to the place where the Auror Training Camp was; somewhere in Scotland. Not near where they lived but certainly not so far. Lucius Malfoy also hitched a ride on the carriage when he was notified their method of transportation.

With Reborn going to see the fun, Iolanthe didn’t feel comfortable leaving Teddy and Adhara with Petal and Dew. It wasn’t that they wouldn’t be able to take care of them but she simply didn’t want to leave them behind. Luckily, the House-elves understood as they were used to being assistants in the child-rearing business; they had their own tasks to accomplish so they were fine with it. The whole Potter Family plus the Malfoy men rode on the spacious carriage pulled by the Thestrals.

As many Lords and Ladies arrived at the Training Camp by Apparating near the place to then walk, seeing a carriage landing nearby was considered a bit too ostentatious and wondered who was the snobbish person who travelled like that. Many sneered seeing Lord Malfoy calmly and elegantly making his way down to then begin to murmur around seeing the youngest Malfoy coming down. They started to scold them for trying to appear self-important when they were just Lady Potter’s lapdogs. However, their thoughts halted when a girl was helped down by Draco Malfoy.

And some almost cried out when they heard her speak. **_**_“Thanks, Uncle Draco.”_**_** Of course, those were the ones who had avoided being thrown into Azkaban under the suspicions of being Death Eaters; they were supporters and by consequence had heard Lord Voldemort speak in sibilant hisses just like that girl.

“No problem.”

More surprising was the fact that Draco Malfoy seemed closed to her. Everybody started speculating. And their speculations were interrupted by the appearance of a boy, followed by a man in a suit carrying a baby and finally Iolanthe Potter being helped down by the aforementioned man. It was then that they all realized who the girl was: Iolanthe Potter’s adopted daughter. Their minds stopped working as they were actually seeing the complete Potter Family. Little was known about the kids and the Lords and Ladies weren’t interested in them.

That was not the case for Lord Potter, though.

The man was shrouded in mystery. The first time he was seen, he was a baby that killed a Death Eater without blinking. If not for the fact that running Death Eaters were to be captured dead or alive, then Lord Potter would be considered a murderer. The second time he was seen, he was a man protectively covering Iolanthe Potter from the reporters and put them in their place for their questions. Some articles had reported witnesses seeing Lord Potter shopping with his family as a baby again. And right in front of them, Lord Potter was a man holding a baby in one arm and his other hand was holding Iolanthe Potter’s hand.

With the two different forms he had showed, none could guess what type of Curse Lord Potter was afflicted with; they could only guess that perhaps it was sporadic and only became a baby for short periods of time. If only they knew that it was the other way around. Iolanthe had graciously let him roam around in his original form just so she could show off her cool Husband. Nobody was complaining, so they let her do whatever she wanted.

“Chief Warlock Hayes.” Iolanthe greeted walking towards the man who was making sure everybody was there.

“Lady Potter, Lord Potter.” Thomas Hayes greeted back with a nod. As an ex-Auror, he could discern Lord Potter was a dangerous man and that he needed to treat him well.

“This is my daughter, Farid. She will help us check if the new training program is feasible or not.” Iolanthe said pushing the girl in front of Chief Warlock Hayes who smiled at her. He also had a daughter who would soon begin studying in Hogwarts so he knew what it felt to think the best of your kid. He was in no way doubting the veracity of Lady Potter’s claim but the fact a girl so young was able to do what adults could do was still a bit far-fetched.

“Don’t judge her just because she is young, Chief Warlock Hayes.” Reborn’s rich voice said, his penetrating eyes shadowed by his fedora made Thomas Hayes feel cold sweat was forming on his back. “I can assure you that my daughter is better than many here present.” His smirk was mocking, confident and honest that none of the offended dared to counter the statement.

At that moment, the doors of the Training Camp opened, showing a sombre looking man who most likely was the one in charge or the place or the training itself. Chief Warlock Hayes excused himself from the Potter Family and walked towards the sombre man. After receiving the explanation as to why the whole Wizengamot was present, the sombre man turned sombre and glanced at the direction where the Potters were, more specifically at Farid. Talking a bit more with Thomas Hayes, the man finally let them in and took them where the supposed physical conditioning took place.

No matter if they were Wizards or Muggles, if a Law Enforcement Force wanted to train physically, they needed an obstacle circuit and the one the Wizengamot body was seeing was impressively long with many obstacles they didn’t know what they were for. Looking at the circuit, Reborn nodded. “It’s easy. If you don’t tackle it in less that ten minutes, I will be very disappointed, Farid.”

The girl tensed and turned to Iolanthe. **_**_“You have fifteen minutes, dear. If your Dad wants it to be done in less than ten minutes, then let him do it himself.”_**_**  She smiled at Farid to then throw a glare at her Husband. Husband who quickly looked away but was sighing inwardly; Iolanthe mollycoddling the kids was his major obstacle in his training. With a bit of reassurance, Farid relaxed a bit though she tensed again when the throng of recruits arrived in a mess.

Even if they knew nothing about how training was conducted, none in the Wizengamot was pleased seeing such an undisciplined bunch. They even loudly protested when they heard the reason they were summoned. Needless to say, those who had approved the new training plus all the neutral faction had solemn faces while those who hadn’t approved had black faces; it was obvious that allowing any Dick, Tom or Harry to enter the Aurors was really unsightly.

“Settle down!” The instructor, the sombre man, loudly commanded. “Who is going to volunteer?” Even him was feeling a bit humiliated seeing the recruits; they had to choose that day to act like hags in the market. He finally pointed out to his best recruit, just in case, to do the circuit.

“It’s just a little girl, what’s all the fuss about it?” The young man haughtily remarked while strutting towards the beginning of the circuit where Farid was already waiting. Though, the moment he saw her... “Fuck! What freak of nature is-” And that was how the haughty recruit was instantly knocked out by a murderous Reborn.

“Who would have thought that law enforcers were just a bunch of ignorant, prejudiced and full of themselves people?” Lord Potter’s rhetoric question received silence.

The recruits and even the sombre guy were pale as none had noticed how the man had moved so fast and instantly knocked out a person without the use of a Spell -some secretly wondered if the recruit was even alive. The Wizengamot members were conveniently talking among themselves, feigning ignorance in the matter, as if they had seen nothing. Hell, they, who had influence and power, didn’t dare to talk about the rather unique daughter of the Potter family, not even looking at her twice in fear of suffering what the recruit suffered. Yet a young, unknown guy even voiced it out loud. That was just seeking death.

The new chosen recruit stoically made his way to the beginning of the circuit after the other had been taken to the infirmary. His mood was a bit subdued but reignited when he heard Lord Potter’s words. He still had dignity, after all.

“Five minutes, Farid. If you can’t finish it in five minutes, then forget about getting birthday presents.”

Everybody around felt pity towards the girl for having such a Father and thought she would cry for the injustice but they were surprised seeing how not only she didn’t cry but looked even more determined. And the feelings of pity just increased thinking of the innumerable heartless methods he had used on her. Everybody turned to look at Lady Potter but they felt their hopes being washed away seeing her happily playing with her baby, not paying an ounce of attention to what was happening with her Husband and older daughter. They all concluded the Potters were a weird Family.

“Alright!” The instructor called out. “We being in 5,” once again the attention was on the participants, forgetting about all the distracting events. “…1. Start!”

The recruit obviously had an advantage because most obstacles were made for an adult’s height, however it posed no problem to the barely one meter tall (3 ft. 3’) girl. Be it parallel bars, tires, jumping over walls, climbing over walls with the help of a rope, crawling below logs, she could do it all almost at the same time that the recruit. Almost, because she was leading by a bit and took an overwhelming advantage when they were climbing a cargo net of eight meters of height (26 feet). Only then, everybody knew that the girl was not human; nobody could be that nimble while climbing!

Soon, the spectators forgot about the recruit and focused on the girl who looked as if she was sliding in an obstacle called The Weaver. She even had the nerve to jog on a rope bridge as if it was nothing. Her major obstacle was a high structure that you had to climb floor by floor and there were no ropes to climb it with. An adult would have it easy as it was made for their height but she couldn’t and had to improvise by climbing the wooden pillars holding the structure. The instructor didn’t have the heart to say that was not permitted because he was feeling deep shame for his recruit who was starting The Weaver.

The old Ladies almost fainted when they saw Farid sliding down the long rope; not crawling-sliding nor hanging-sliding, she was standing-sliding on the rope. After that little stunt, the rest was a foregone conclusion so the Wizengamot members started discussing between themselves. The recruits didn’t need to be daunting and nimble like her but they should at least be able to complete the circuit without any complaints. Just like the Potter girl and Lord Potter himself, there might be people who are as nimble and fast; if Aurors couldn’t keep up with them, then how would they uphold justice?

It seemed the recruits themselves knew they had screwed so they kept quiet as they heard the Lords and Ladies discussing their fate. They all started to sweat when someone mentioned failing them from the programme. It had to be said that being an Auror was a highly respected job so, to be failed because they complained about the programme itself would reflect badly in their curriculum.

“Should we let Lady Potter decide?” A Lord suddenly suggested throwing the hot potato of making a decision to her. In unison everybody looked at her.

Iolanthe from her part was calmly standing by the side, the baby having passed from her arms to the little girl’s who was sweaty but extremely happy after she was done with the circuit.

“Lady Potter…” That same Lord prompted.

“The recruit is almost done.” Iolanthe simply said. The others were stumped, they didn’t care about the recruit finishing the course, the test was about failing the recruits or not if her daughter would end it before the recruit. However, nobody said anything and patiently waited for the young recruit to finish the circuit. Finally, the young man was done, sweating in rivulets and panting. “What time?” She asked.

“14 minutes and 38 seconds.” Draco suddenly replied.

Iolanthe nodded and then addressed the tired recruit. “Did you also sign the petition to change the programme?”

“I… yes…” Taking a deep breath, he responded.

“Why?” The question stumped the young man and couldn’t answer. “The circuit was designed to be done under 12 minutes. With a bit more of practice you can actually reduce those 2 minutes and a half so I don’t understand why you would think it was a good idea to sign that petition. Why did you decide to become an Auror?”

The young man’s face flushed crimson since everybody was listening to their conversation. “I wanted to be a hero like you…” His voice turned so soft at the end that even Iolanthe had troubles listening to him but she got what he meant.

“Oh, then you are no different than my daughter.” Iolanthe smiled. “One day she just said: Dad I want to be like you and Mom, I want to be strong. Of course, I don’t want her to be like me. As I said, I am no hero but someone looking for happiness and to live life. Your first thought to join the Aurors should not be to be a hero, to be famous or to be highly respected but because you want to protect all those Wizards and Witches out there who can’t do what you can do. That is what being an Auror means.” The young man felt touched not only for not being laughed at for his paltry reason but because he was lectured by the person he admired. “Also, don’t let others force you to do what you don’t want.”

The poor recruit stiffened hearing those last words. The instructor and the Wizengamot members were sharp people and understood her meaning. It was no wonder the petition only had the minimum number of signatures to be passed.

Iolanthe didn’t want to meddle in those matters and left with her family as soon as she was given the green light by Chief Warlock Hayes. Wizengamot matters were over so it all depended on the instructor and his superior to decide what to do with the uncovered truth. If it was up to the Wizengamot to deal with every single matter in the Ministry, then they would die out of exhaustion.

The Potter Family didn’t return to their home as soon as they were over with the Auror matter. They rode to Horizont Alley to buy Farid, who had really finished the circuit under five minutes, her birthday present. It was going to be soon but she was going to receive the first one that day, her first set of jewelry. And not any jewelry but Indian jewelry. Even though, she hadn’t had a happy life in India, she actually liked her mother country, not only the clothes but the jewelry too.

Visiting the same shop where they bought her clothes, she almost pasted herself on the display with the jewelry. They spent a long time just for her to choose silk thread tassel earrings, silk thread bangles with ornaments hanging from it, a thin necklace waived with gold and silk thread and of course, the small silk thread head gear from which hung a little ruby. It was very modest compared to the full gold or silver pieces with many gems in them. However, she looked happy with her choices and shyly asked if she could get a nose pin next time.

Seeing how she had only chosen silk thread pieces, then Iolanthe and Reborn accepted. Neither realized they were actually duped as Farid’s purpose was actually the nose pin and knew they wouldn’t easily accept her request, so she had to retreat to advance.

 

…

 

After dinner, Iolanthe instructed Reborn to put the kids to sleep while she walked towards the Sunroom. Doing a final check up, she made sure everything was under control and then moved to the cabinets to look for the Wiggenweld Potion.

“Mimi.” She called out.

“Yes, Mistress.” The small House-elf appeared in a pop.

Iolanthe said nothing after that but Mimi was aware of why she was called. Iolanthe had secretly discussed with her what she had to do. As soon as Iolanthe gave her the go ahead, Mimi grabbed her Mistress hand and the hand of the unconscious Xanxus and popped them out of the house to a desolate moor not that far. If Iolanthe wasn’t mistaken, then the moment Xanxus was woken up would be pivotal. The young man had suffered a trauma when his emotions were haywire so, waking up to the unknown would make him react violently. That was based on the snippets of his personality Iolanthe had caught.

“Alright, this will either end up in disaster or disaster.” She sighed uncorking the vial of the potion and dropping a reasonable amount in his mouth.

She had to wait for almost a minute to see a reaction. Everything around Xanxus burned or disintegrated at a fast pace, Iolanthe had to back away from the high temperatures surrounding the young man. Finally, he woke up with unfocused eyes and screaming, the temperature reached a peak and Flames engulfed his body. Iolanthe had little experience with Flames and had no idea what type of Flame Xanxus had; it was similar to Sky Flames due to the burning aspect but it had another quality to it. Her proof was when she cast a Protego and this instantly collapsed when Flames touched it. Seeing the young man was still altered, she decided to intervene.

“Xanxus! Can you hear me?!” She had to call his name out several time for him to stop. He was however like an enraged beast.

“ _ _Dov__ _ _’__ _ _è__ _ _?! Dov__ _ _’__ _ _è__ _ _quel pezzo di merda!?__ ” Shakily standing up, he slowly moved towards Iolanthe saying things she didn’t understand.

“Xanxus, you have to calm down!” Right, come the Potter luck where things didn’t go as plan… more like, did she have a plan from the beginning?

“If you won’t say, then fuck off!” He instantly changed to English hearing how she kept speaking it.

Iolanthe was someone who normally could stand all the things thrown at her but she had changed after being pregnant and her temper constantly flared. “To hell with being nice.” She whispered and whipped out her wand, pointed it at Xanxus and cast a Stunner to incapacitate him. What she didn’t expect was for him to dodge at such close distant. “Well, that was impressive.” She managed to praise to then dodge an attack herself.

Iolanthe was too busy trying not to be hit by his fists who sometimes came whistling from the huge force behind them. How she did that? Well, it wasn’t hard to deviate it with a pulse of wandless Magic. She couldn’t, however, actively attack him as he was extremely fast so she did the next best thing she could do. Pray and plead.

“Stop, Xanxus! Stop! You are not in Italy! Listen to me!”

Yet he didn’t even pay attention to her and Iolanthe was getting tired. She was a Mother of three, after all. “Bloody hell!” She exclaimed when she noticed he had become even faster and wasn’t able to dodge on time. Luckily, her Magic was still reliable and protected her at the last second but they still were sent flying from the impact. Iolanthe even rolled down a small slope loudly cursing. Staying at the bottom of the slope she thought about her warm bed for a second, her warm Husband and even Adhara’s cries. But there she was, trying to calm down a mad man in the middle of the night in the moors of Scotland.

She was displeased.

Thanks to that impact, Xanxus could finally focus and notice he was not under the Vongola Mansion, his perception told him there was only one other person around and that he wasn’t in danger. Though that lasted for a second when he suddenly and inexplicably felt a deep sense of fear, he was terrified. He gritted his teeth and tried to shook off that feeling but it was in vain and it came even stronger; he felt weak, easy prey to the danger that was coming. He hadn’t even felt like this when he was facing that shitty old man but in some unknown place, he was so frightened he couldn’t move.

He could hear someone approaching him and his eyes turned so he could see who was the person that exuded such a terrifying aura. What came into his sight was a woman with messy curly hair, wearing a black dress and with very green eyes. The pressure he was subjected to came from her and for a second he thought she was Death. Perhaps instead of being frozen, he was killed by that fucking liar. Strangely, when he got to that conclusion, he didn’t feel anything. There was no rage, no betrayal, no sadness.

“Am I dead?” He rasped.

“You will wish to be when I’m done with you.” Iolanthe somberly said.

“Who are you?” Having concluded that he was still alive, he needed to get some information. However, Iolanthe was not in the mood to give information.

“Now you want to talk? But what about when you were screaming as if the world was ending, huh?” She crouched down and poked him with her wand. “What about the time I was telling you to stop?” She poked. “Or the time I was telling you you were not in Italy, huh?” She poked. “Let’s not forget you were liberally attacking me.” She poked. “And you even had the nerve to attack faster putting me in danger!” She poked. “I am a married woman whose Husband doesn’t even dare to glare at me.” She poked. “But you did!” She ended up her lecture with a mighty poke.

All that time she was scolding Xanxus, he felt her aura was dissipating with each poke yet another problem overcame him. Each poke was charged with some sort of energy that ran through his nerves. He tried his best, God knows he did but at the end, he succumbed. “Haha! No! Hahaha! Stop! Hahahahaha!” He lost the battle and loudly laughed, victim of the Tickling Charm. He couldn’t believe that the woman who had made him feel utterly terrified was employing such a childish tactic.

“Do you feel better?” She suddenly asked. Xanxus noticed that energy had disappeared and he immediately stopped laughing to then glare at the hateful woman in front of him yet she just smiled at him. “You will become cross-eyed from glaring too much.” Her hand covered his eyes. Only then, he was reminded he could actually move but as he was about to do something he felt a different kind of energy coming from her hand. “Goodnight, Xanxus.”

“Wai-” He protested but his voice died down as he fell asleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curiosities in this chapter.
> 
> -The obstacle circuit does exist. I looked up and found the SEAL obstacle course. In case you want to check it out, there is a vid of the whole circuit on youtube. 
> 
> -The fic is 452 pages long as of now and when I was writing on the 444 page (which is an unlucky number in Japan) I found myself watching videos about murderers and scary stuff.... Yeah, fuck my life...


	44. Am I a therapist or a Witch?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iolanthe decides to tackle the world of being a doctor/therapist for Xanxus with unconventional methods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry the updates have been a bit irregular but the chapters are getting longer and they take longer to write. I am thinking of a method to finally start stacking up chapters but I have no idea what to do, plus! my birthday is coming and I want to do something special not only for myself but for you too! Have any ideas apart from releases? xD 
> 
> Let me know.
> 
> Next chapter it truly will begin the KHR timeline because a new chapter gives the excuse of an unexplained time skip LOL though there is forbearance in this chapter, I hope you catch it. And no, I am not leaving some things left out. Like the final ending of the Peverell castle or what's going on in the Wizengamot. They will be mentioned in the following chapter.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!
> 
> PS. the chapter is not edited xD I will go back to it later  
> PPS. Already edited 8/20

* * *

 

‘You are a son of the Vongola.’

‘You are my son.’

‘Nono’s fourth son.’

‘He should be the Decimo.’

‘You are going to be Boss.’

‘You found out, huh? It’s true, you are not my son.’

‘I have no other choice.’

Xanxus startled and woke up. He discovered he was covered in sweat and laying on a bed in a room that was naturally illuminated by the sun. The air carried a smell of herbs and flowers, saturating the room. Calming down, he turned his head this and that way but found nothing of worth that could tell him where he was. There was just a swaying curtain, a few cabinets and the bed he was laying on. His body felt heavy, as if he had been sleeping for a long time yet was not well-rested, his mind still was a bit slow. However, his perception was still sharp… not

 ** _ ** _“You are awake?”_**_**  Hissing came from his right making him tense. It seemed he hadn’t noticed there was something else… or someone else in there. Alright, it seemed he was still asleep and dreaming. There was no way a girl with yellow eyes like those of a snake was standing beside him. He closed his eyes; __I better be dreaming__ , he thought. **_**_“Mom! He is awake!”_**_** The girl hissed again. Next, footsteps sounded beyond the curtain and in came that woman he saw the last time he was awake.

“You!!” He roared. His memory of her was not pleasant.

As he tried to make his body respond and sit up, she pointed that thrice damned stick at him. “Legilimens!”

The next second he found himself in his room in the Varia Headquarters. Everything was as how he left it since that day; the bed was haphazardly made, there were a few pieces of clothes around, the wardrobe was bursting with clothes Lussuria had given him plus the uniforms, on the table there were parts of his weapons he had replaced and the door to his office was half open. Exactly the same. How did he get there? More importantly, he could move; looking down, he noticed he was no longer wearing those pajamas he was clad in but his normal clothes. What was going on?

“Varia Headquarters, huh?”

His hand quickly whipped out a gun and pointed it at the woman who was standing beside him. Why was she there? And how did she know that was Varia HQ?

“Who are you?” He growled.

She didn’t reply and just produced a sheet of paper out of thin air. From that paper he could feel something familiar. “I signed this with Daniela.” She passed it to him who hesitated to take it. Though, the thought it was from the Ottava won over his cautiousness.

When he was done reading, the hand that held the paper tightened almost ripping the contract. His… no, he guessed calling her Grandmother had no meaning… The Ottava had made a contract to take him out of his plight no matter how long it took. He wasn’t moved or happy or anything like that, he just felt it was ironic. One put him in that place and the other helped him out. In the end, was he just a toy for the Vongola? Someone they could use and then throw away like a piece of garbage?

“Where is she?” He asked with gritted teeth.

“Dead.” She cuttingly replied as if she didn’t care about his reaction. “She died a bit later after we signed that contract.” Her eyes were plastered in the direction of the office.

Xanxus froze. She was dead? Then… No. He no longer had any ties with them. There was no meaning if he… “Let me see her.” It said in the contract that she would be able to talk to him, no matter if she was dead. He could…

“You can’t” She stated.

“Why the fuck I can’t?!” He yelled pointing the gun at her again after he put it down.

“Because of this.” Their surroundings blurred and they suddenly found themselves in the middle of a fight. Xanxus eyes widened seeing who were the protagonists of the fight.

“What’s this?”

“We are inside your mind, Xanxus. This is your memory, this is what happened that day.”

The two saw how an old man and a teenager gruesomely fought as if they were sworn enemies. The teenager attacked relentlessly while the old man dedicated himself to defend; neither progressed in the fight, neither was able to hit the other. It was like that until the teenager madly demanded for an explanation the old man was not willing to provide and just infuriatingly smiled. The attacks increased in number and it looked like the old man couldn’t hold them any longer. With a final attack, the old man sealed Xanxus’ fate and with it, the memory was over.

Xanxus was boiling in rage, his Flames made their presence known and started to burn. Somewhere far away he could hear someone talking.

“Your Grandmother didn’t know you were not Timoteo’s son and she still asked me to help you. She died not knowing; if you want to see her, then you will have to tell her. After all, it was thanks to her Flames that I was able to free you from your ice prison.” Xanxus' body was trembling, he just didn’t know why. “Sleep.”

His consciousness started to fade as his last thoughts were of his Grandmother.

‘This is a fierce one, alright. I like him.’

‘Come, Grandma will show you something good.’

‘Hahahaha, run Xanxus or they will catch you!’

‘You are a Vongola, you can’t take shit from others.’

‘I heard you are now the Varia Boss. That lazy ass of Superbi put you there, right?’

‘No matter what, you are my Grandson.’

The moment Xanxus opened his eyes, he was once again in that room that smelled of herbs. Honestly, he didn’t know what was reality and what was a dream. He didn’t even know what day it was, what month, what year; he was totally disoriented. Nevertheless, he somehow didn’t care. He had been tensed for so many years that taking a breath was not that bad. It was just that he never thought he needed one until he was forced to actually take it. He really was curious about what was going on out there but it was not his priority.

He didn’t know what to do anymore.

 ** _ ** _“You are awake?”_**_** He turned and saw that girl from before. Either he had lost his mind and imagined such an unique girl or she really existed; she was really hissing at him. **_**_“Water?”_**_** She offered with a glass in her hand.

Xanxus looked at her, then at the glass with the crystalline liquid. For a moment he thought he shouldn’t drink it. But fuck it, he was thirsty. After he gulped down the water, he looked again at her.

“Who are you?” Right, he must have been still muddleheaded. How was she supposed to understand him?

 ** _ ** _“Farid.”_**_**  She still replied. A sudden thought entered his mind.

“You understand English?” She nodded. “But you can’t speak it?” She shook her head. “Why?” She tilted her head as if thinking and suddenly stuck out her tongue; her slim, forked tongue. He thought he could even see a pair of very sharp fangs or he was just too tired. But he still understood why she couldn’t speak anything else that wasn’t that hissy language of hers.

Anyway, he got an important hint with the exchange. Taking into account the accent from that lady from before plus this girl who could understand English then he was no longer in Italy; somewhere in Britain most likely. He shouldn’t have been surprised if his… Grandmother knew someone in Britain, though to leave him in their care meant she had trusted them quite a bit. So, they must be Mafia, or were relatives of Mafia.

“ _ _Capisci l’Italiano?__ ” He tested. The girl paused for a bit then used her thumb and index to answer with the universal gesture of ‘a little’. They knew someone who was from the Mafia, someone who was close to the Ottava. Just when he wanted to get more information out of her, the curtain suddenly moved aside and in came the person who instantly made his blood boil and rage filled his being.

 ** _ ** _“There you were. Your sister has woken up; if you don’t hurry, Teddy will hog all her attention.”_**_**  The woman mischievously smiled. The girl immediately ran out of the room as if she was being chased. Xanxus was getting more alert as he was left alone with the woman who did many things that nobody had done to him before. “It’s good to see you calmly speaking with someone, Xanxus.” She said while walking towards the cabinets. He just stared at her. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do anything. It was just that his body felt like lead and even drinking that glass of water was a feat to him. “Though I would love for you to avoid trying to get information out of my daughter.”

“Daughter?” He asked involuntarily.

She smiled at him. “I have three children. Farid is six, Teddy is three and Adhara is four months.” With two vials in hand, she sat on the stool by the bed. “Do you have any questions?”

“When can I leave?” If only he could move his body, then he would have already ran away from there.

“When you can learn to cope.” She simply said. Though, Xanxus knew what she meant.

“Don’t fuck with me! Let me out of this shitty place!” He roared.

With the help of his stubbornness and will, he was able to sit up. Thinking he would be able to get out of there, he jumped out of the bed only to fall on his face. He felt humiliated and he raged even more, his Flames coming out. The curtain was visibly turning into dust until it was all gone. His breathing was ragged though noticing there was no reaction from the woman, he forced himself to calm down. When his Flames dissipated, that strange energy coiled around him and levitated him back to the bed.

“Have you calmed down?” She asked with no emotion in her voice. She just looked at the curtain with something akin to pity. “I will have to ask my Husband if there are clothes or fabric resistant to Flames. I have the inkling you will destroy more curtains in the future.”

Xanxus just glared at her even if his mind was revolving around the new information he suddenly got. She was married to someone in the Mafia. Perhaps he could work something out. “Not any fabric can withstand my Flames.” If he was bragging a bit, then who could blame him?

“Storm Flames?” She took a guess. It seemed she was aware of the basic properties of each Flame. But how could he have mere Storm Flames? “The face you made as if you were smelling shit suggests it’s not.” She teased. His face darkened and he hatefully glared at her. “Anyway, take this.” She was not kind and basically forced the content of the vial into his mouth. He couldn’t even spit it out when the contents made their way into his stomach. The taste was atrocious and he didn’t even have time to complain when the other one had the same fate as the first one.

“Bastard! You will pay for…” His threats died down when drowsiness took possession of his body and mind until he was out.

‘You have to be Decimo. Until then, I won’t cut my hair.’

‘I can be everybody’s Mom. Boss, you will be the Dad!’

‘Shishishi. Although you are a plebeian, you are not bad. This Prince will follow you.’

‘Boss! How did I do?’

‘Muu, you really are a bunch of spendthrifts.’

‘Leave it to us, Boss!’

The moon was shining upon him. The clear roof allowed him to perfectly see the sky out there. It was snowing. The stillness and silence would have been unnerving as he was used to a noisy environment. Squalo’s yelling. Lussuria’s nagging. Belphegor being a brat. Levi being an idiot. Mammon’s greediness. There was never a time people wouldn’t be fighting in the Varia. The Officers were like that too so the fighting only increased instead of decreasing. So, the calmness in the room was really uncomfortable. And he couldn’t just scream and get comfortable himself, right?

Or he could.

Five minutes into his screaming, the door suddenly opened, the curtain was torn aside and the murderous -sleepy- expression of a woman appeared before him. He wanted to ignore her and keep his endeavour yet she grabbed him by the collar and suddenly he was squeezed, almost squashed, only to end up in some moor again. He was heavily thrown onto the ground. His weak body was barely responding to his needs and manage to sit up. Just, why was he so weak? Was she doing something to him? More like, what was she actually doing with him?

His answer was an explosion right beside him that left him caked in dirt, a bit of snow and with grass plastered all over him.

“Stand up. You want to be noisy in the middle of the night? Ok, I will let you know what it means to be noisy in the middle of the night.” With the stick pointed at him, her voice of doom sounded.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, the only thing he knew was that he was either rolling miserably on the ground or being flung miserably in the air. Never before he had been beaten so badly in his life. The sad part was that while he was being toyed with, he had been analyzing the fight and realized he would still be toyed with by her even if he could move. Thinking back to their first encounter, he comprehended that she didn’t want to fight with him. But then and there she did and he looked for it. His Flames could only minimize the damage yet couldn’t completely block it.

After he ate grass and dirt for the nth time, she stopped. He slowly turned around and was greeted by the moon. Its waxing shape looked like a smile mocking at him, at the state he ended up in. The only person he blamed was himself; what he did was in the level of Levi’s idiocy, that trash.

“Do you like the ground so much? Stand up, it’s snowing.” She chided though he could hear something in her voice that he couldn’t comprehend. After he stood with great difficulty, his arm was grabbed and he was whisked away from the moor back to the room. He didn’t complain when she asked him to take a bath and go back to sleep. Not when she again gave him those foul things in the vials and certainly not when she wished him a good sleep.

 

…

 

“How is he doing?” Draco asked.

“Mm, he is more subdued but I think that is because of his dreams. He never speaks about them but I can see they are affecting him. Whenever I see him truly too down, I do anything I can do rile him up.” Iolanthe replied.

“Not a hard task, then.” Draco quipped.

“I learned from you, insufferable ferret.” Iolanthe returned and quickly dodged the Spell thrown at her. “Anyway, whenever he is angry, he just shines in his own right. It’s like seeing a perpetual hissy cat.” Iolanthe smiled and chuckled.

“I seriously question your ability to compare. He doesn’t look anything like a cat.” Draco gave her a weird look.

“It is just my humble opinion. Though, fighting helps him. I guess it is his way to cope or resolve his issues; by letting out all that anger and everything else that builds up in him, he is healing in a way. And I need the exercise. Do you know how flabby I got after I gave birth?!” She complained.

“Too much information, Iolanthe.” Draco’s face tightened.

“Well, I am sharing my experience so when Astoria has a child, you have to keep giving her love, tell her she’s beautiful and such. My damn Husband just pays attention to our daughter; I never thought I would be jealous of my own daughter! Everybody is fluttering around her that I might have become a decoration in my own home.” Iolanthe sighed.

“Either you get a pet or another kid to spoil by yourself, you should preferable hide it.” Draco offhandedly advised.

“Geez, thanks for the unhelpful tips.” She threw him a disdainful look. “Well, I have a Dementor in the Black Home, maybe I should-”

“Don’t even think about it!” He cut her off from spouting the typical Potter nonsense she comes up with. “Either way, are you telling me exactly what we are doing in this castle?”

The two looked around the tall and ample Hall with brand new high windows, brand new tiles and brand new paint. Iolanthe had received the notification from her Manager, Bloodfang, that the renovation at the Peverell castle had been finished and asked her to take a look and see if there was something she wanted to change or add. Overall, she was satisfied with the job and had already thought up the layout of the place.

The front of the main building would be used for classrooms or laboratories. On each side there were two big Halls that could be used for the Dining Room and the Library. The sides of the building would be used for the dormitories; guys in one side, girls in the other. The back of the building was just two stories compared to the rest that was four stories, so she thought it should be fine if they built leisure rooms there. She still wasn’t sure what kind of leisure rooms but she was open for ideas.

The courtyard right in the middle of the building was big enough to build a Quidditch pitch -because they couldn’t go without the sport- and the roof was changed into stands for when there were games. She still didn’t know if there would be enough people to actually make official games like back in Hogwarts but she could think about that in the future. The huge field in the back of the main building could be used to raise some harmless Creatures for educational purposes and she even had the idea to build a greenhouse like the one in the Potter Home for Herbology.

What they were missing were mostly just a few details and the furniture and they could move on to the second step that was planning courses. They were not only going to be catering for Magicals but for other kids with different Magicks too. So, they needed to create courses for those kids. Before that, they first needed to do something vital in the castle.

“We are creating the Wards, Draco, and for that we need to find the Ward Stone.” Iolanthe explained.

The Art of Warding was a very complex subject. It wasn’t just the connection of Runes and Arithmancy. Wards could also be created from a string of Charms like the ones inlaid in a Wedding Ring or from using focal points like Stones or even Ward Stones. Most experts in Warding were Rune and Arithmancy Masters who used a variety of methods to create their Wards. Iolanthe even knew of someone who used wood or even trees as focal points much like Stones; the person created the most sturdy Wards she had ever seen, the problem was that one also needed a Mastery in Herbology and be proficient in a special set of Runes that were very delicate when interacting with each other.

The difference between the most common methods which was the usage of Stones was that normal Stones were used for small Wards, simple ones that didn’t last for long and had a very specific job, like protection, illusion or disorientation. On the contrary, using a Ward Stone was the perfect way to inlay rows upon rows of Wards, Spells, Runes and Charms without being afraid of an overload. Though, one had to be careful to make they all work fine together. They were mostly used for buildings and even the Quidditch Stadiums. The only downside of this method was the fact that the Ward Stone couldn’t be moved, so if it was broken, then forget about your Wards.

The fact the Peverell castle no longer had Wards must have been because of that or because they never had them to begin with and the lingering Magic in the air was just from Spells being practiced in the castle from old Peverell members.

“Is that what Granger is looking for too?” Draco inquired paying more attention to their surroundings to look for the Ward Stone. It really could have been anything and the Goblins never touched it, though they also didn’t help in telling them if there was one. If they wanted to know, there was a price for it; not a low price. So they dived into old school ‘looking for it yourself’ and were not having luck.

“Hermione is doing an inventory of the things we need to buy according to the layout we have decided upon. She was very excited about it that she asked me to come here to look at it, not caring it is going to be Christmas Holidays soon.” The three had the pleasure of using the new Portkey travelling system. Though, old habits never die and Iolanthe almost greeted Hungary with her face on the floor.

Iolanthe had to wait for Reborn to go back home so he could take care of the kids while she was gone. And gone they would be as Warding was not an easy task. It might take days or even weeks for it to be done. Thankfully, Adhara had gotten used to formula recently and Iolanthe was able to leave without any worries. She was, however, forced by Petal and Dew to gather her milk whenever she lactated. Not only was she a decoration in her house, she was also a milking cow. And she didn’t even get a bit of love from the recipient, her daughter.

“Did you find anything?” Hermione’s voice sounded from behind them.

“Not yet. I am starting to think there was no Ward Stone here.” Iolanthe shook her head. “What about you? Are you done with the inventory?”

“I am missing the tower in the middle. Do you think we should make it an Astronomy tower? It’s not tall so I am doubting.” The three made their way to the central tower as that was the only place they hadn’t checked for anything.

“Hm, it is actually not that big. I still don’t know what it was used for but I assure you it cannot hold a whole class.”

As they made it to the fourth floor, they were received by a luxurious hallway that held very detailed carvings and even a unique tile patterned that the Goblins only decided to polish as it was not damaged. The three knew that the fourth floor was for the Family’s main branch. The rooms there were really big and the whole floor just had two; most likely one for the Husband and the other for the Wife with the bathroom dividing them. It wasn’t strange to find that design in most ancient houses as it wasn’t appropriate for the Wife to sleep in the same bed as the Husband and most importantly to keep the woman away when she was on her period.

It was very hateful, but that was how it was back then.

“If the tower is not suitable…” Hermione trailed off peering at the big rooms from the opened doors. She sharply turned and looked at Iolanthe with sparkly eyes. “Do you think a planetarium would work in one of these rooms?” Seeing the confused faces of the two in front of her, Hermione explained in simple words that a planetarium was a room that has lights in the ceiling which help create the universe, constellations and stars for people to see.

Iolanthe thought the idea was amazing and readily gave the go ahead. Hermione furiously scribbled on her notepad while they made their way up to the tower where they found nothing. Even if the wooden flooring was changed and the interior looked better, there was nothing else there and Iolanthe truly wondered what it was used for.

“Perhaps it was used as a watchtower?” Hermione input. “You know, before, it was common to get attacked so houses where important people lived were either built in treacherous land or had turrets that acted as watchtowers to spot enemies. As a Duke conferred by the King himself, Lord Peverell must have used this place for that and a trusted family member or servant was placed here for the job.”

The more Draco and Iolanthe heard Hermione’s words, the more they believed it could have been like that. Otherwise, there really wasn’t any other reason to have a tower in a castle/mansion unless it was for heck of it.

“Does that mean the house doesn’t have a Ward Stone?” Draco concluded. After all, the King would have panicked if Duke Peverell’s house suddenly disappeared or would find it weird if it was the only house that had no problems at all, like sneak attacks and such. With the hazard of exposing his Family, Duke Peverell had decided not to have a Ward Stone in his house.

“That, Draco, means that we need to create one.” Iolanthe patted Draco’s shoulder.

The three sadly sighed in unison as creating a Ward Stone was a great pain in the ass. They first had to map the whole area that needed to be Warded, then create a Stone pillar to delineate where the Ward would stop. Once that was done, they would have to find something to act as the Ward Stone, that was easy but the material had to be sturdy to support the lays and lays of Magic inserted in it. Though the hardest part would always be to choose which Wards to put and how. You cannot only put them as if you were painting the Ward Stone and be done with it.

For that, Iolanthe called for Mippy, the one in charge of the Gringotts’ vaults, and asked her to tell Bloodfang to retrieve the sturdiest objects they had in the vaults. As soon as they returned to the tent they had brought to camp in the castle -as the latter had no furniture-, they started a discussion of which Wards to employ and how they were going to inlay them. Hermione and Draco had always been intelligent; Draco was the one who could instantly understand how a Spell worked if he had the Runes and Arithmantic number composing it, while Hermione was the one that spouted information non-stop. By all means, Iolanthe shouldn’t have fitted there with those two.

But what the two lacked, Iolanthe had it in spades: daring.

She had the creativity and daring to suggest impossibles when it came to Warding and somehow make it work -at least in paper. It was because of that that neither could win whenever they dueled her. Iolanthe never used flashy Spells, she stuck with simple ones that even a Firstie would be able to use yet it was the way she used the Spells that always ruined them. That’s why when it came to her suggestions, they never said no and always tried their best to make it work; because, if Iolanthe said it, then it is possible.

“By the way, we are working here in Hungary and in Hungarian land. Do you have the permits? The Hungarian Magical Ministry knows?” Draco rose a very important topic while they designed the Wards. Receiving no answer for a long time, he knew they were screwed up. “Tell me you are working on that.” He sighed.

“I am! Actually, I have sent Mimi with a letter to the Hungarian Ministry letting them know what we are doing and I even included the correct paperwork Bloodfang sent me to prove this castle is actually mine but… they think it is funny to make my work more difficult and refuse to see any document in English even if they can talk it.” Iolanthe scratched her head in frustration.

“Hungarian Wizards have a weird sense of humor. Do you remember Heir Kun?” Hermione interjected. Iolanthe nodded her head, how could she forget the baby face and deep voice? “Well, it seemed that voice was not his real one and he wanted to know how we would react to the combination. Lord Marin told me.”

“That’s… in poor taste.” Draco commented. He had been told by Iolanthe what had happened during that meeting and with the truth uncovered, he didn’t feel he could understand that sense of humor.

“Since I couldn’t bring my Husband as he had to babysit, I have recruited the help and sent a Portkey to another person who is actually Hungarian but most importantly, he is also a Peverell.” Iolanthe smugly smiled.

“Another Peverell member!?” Hermione yelled excited.

The Peverell line was thought to be extinct and only branching ones remained, like the Potters and even the Gaunts. The bushy-haired witch didn’t hold hopes that it was going to be a direct descendant but also a branching member like Iolanthe though she was still thrilled to know more members of such a noble line. And to think the person was Hungarian was even more incredible. It was curious, though, that the Peverell castle was located in Hungary and not Britain as the line was British. Just, what happened at that time for it to appear in a far away country?

“Should be from the first line, right? Though I didn’t know the first brother had a…” Draco started to muse but was cut off by a loud __Crack__ and a small body falling on the table they were sitting at. Silence descended while the small body groaned. “Next time, Iolanthe is not allowed to make Portkeys.” Draco stated. “It’s just a kid, how could you make them travel by Portkey?” He then chided.

“Um, he’s not…” Iolanthe tried to explain but the small person beat her to it.

“I am not a kid! I am the amazing Skull! The immortal!” Skull boisterously laughed jumping to his feet.

There was a pause in the room after Skull laughed. “He is definitely your Family, Iolanthe.” Draco said in a tired voice.

“Oh, he’s like Lord Potter!” Hermione suddenly exclaimed. “He has the same object around his neck.” She pointed out.

After the rather unconventional first meeting, Iolanthe presented Skull to her friends and confirmed that he indeed was like her Husband, trapped in the body of a toddler. Hermione and Draco started to wonder why there were more people with the same curse but had the tact to not ask; either way, the longer they remained by Iolanthe’s side, the higher the chance to discover the reason. There was no rush. Skull, for his part, was told about the reason why he was kidnapped. Yes, kidnapped. Because he only received a letter from an owl and then he was whisked away to appear in front of the three Magicals. If that was not kidnapping, then he wasn’t from the Mafia.

Skull might have been bribed with praises and food to do his job but nobody was complaining. Skull himself didn’t realize he had sold himself cheap but that was his fault for dealing with politicians.

The person in charge of Land Distribution in the Hungarian Ministry did his job properly when Lady Potter returned with someone who could speak Hungarian fluently. The plan was for her to visit the Ministry several times and brag to other countries that Lady Potter was partial to them. Saying a Wizarding community savior favored your country was a great honor, so the Hungarian Ministry wanted to take advantage of it. Sadly, the person she had looked for help was very impatient and somewhat rude when the matters weren’t done efficiently, though the worse was that he boasted a lot saying he was Lady Potter’s relative.

The Ministry worker could only hide his grievance and do his job. Of course, the Hungarian Ministry was very happy to know that Lady Potter wanted to do a project as massive as creating a school in Hungary. Of course she needed to explain every single detail of her plan and the Ministry worker couldn’t help but admire her even more.

Back at the Peverell castle, the four were having dinner after a long day.

“Are you really making this place into an orphanage? An orphanage with a school?” Skull asked enjoying the baked potatoes Iolanthe made for dinner.

“That is the plan. As an orphan myself, I would like to give others the chance to call a place home.” Iolanthe said with a small smile.

After a while in silence, Skull continued. “My Grandad was proud of this castle even in its decaying state. I think… he would be happy to know that it would once again be called home.” He could still hear the energetic voice of his Grandfather talking about the majesty of the castle when he was a kid himself. How his own Grandfather talked about living there for twelve years before leaving on his journey and returning once he was an adult with his Family on toil being well-received by his cousins. Cousins that married off to other Families and the Peverell line finally ended with Skull’s Great-Grandfather.

But never once Skull’s Grandfather stopped calling the castle home even if he had moved out.

“It is your home too. You are a Peverell, after all.” Hermione consoled. Even if she didn’t understand much what it meant to be an orphan as she became one on her own volition, she still was aware of the importance of Home.

“I guess it is.” Skull mumbled. The others thought he was feeling down but that thought went down the drain when the little guy went back to his obnoxious self. “Buhahaha! The Great Skull owns a castle! Let’s see if Reborn will still call me a lackey! Hahahaha!”

Iolanthe smiled seeing the resilience of this relative of hers. It was like having a little cousin who liked to brag about useless matters and it was her duty as an adult to make him see the light. “He is my Husband, it is also partly his.”

“What?!” His shocked face was also funny so Iolanthe had no qualms in laughing out loud while Draco and Hermione sighed exasperated.

The following morning, they received the five objects they could use as pillars and the Ward Stone itself. However, the objects were a bit… strange. The four were fine with the black seabed rock and might have pushed it with the Ukranian Ironbelly scale, as they were known to be the sturdiest Dragon scales and it seemed the one they were sent was from an old Ironbelly and the scale had turned as hard as diamond. The horrible voodoo mask made of some kind of bone, an ancient metallic urn that sometimes let out mournful cries and the Sword of Gryffindor itself was truly beyond their comprehension.

“Where the heck did you find these two?!” Draco pointed at the mask and urn. “And why do you have this?!” He then pointed at the sword.

“Uh…” Iolanthe looked a bit embarrassed as if she didn’t want her friends to know she had those. “Well, the mask came from a Shaman I met in the States. The man told me I had a close relationship with Death and forced the mask on me saying it would help me communicate with the Supreme Being. I actually wasn’t enthused with the idea but the Goblins still appraised it before putting it in my vault but who knew this thing is sturdy?” Sincerely, Iolanthe was also creeped out by the mask even if it looked a bit cool. “The urn was a funny event, actually. There was this crazy guy running away from loan sharks in Japan. He hid in my place for a couple of days and before leaving, he entrusted this heirloom of his to me because he didn’t want it to end in those people’s hands. I am not sure if I will ever see the guy again.”

Draco marveled at the level of shit Iolanthe always found herself into. It was on Lovegood’s level whenever she went out on expeditions. Iolanthe always met weird people out there; no wonder she also brought back weird stuff. “Alright, then, what about the Sword of Gryffindor. It is the Sword of Gryffindor, right?”

“Is is. This one is easy, McGonagall gave it to me.” Iolanthe easily said swinging around the sword.

“Why? I remember late Minister Scrimgeour told us the sword couldn’t be given away.” Hermione reminded.

“Yes, it is like that. But it was given as ‘safekeeping’ so it could be considered mine but at the same time not. I just didn’t think Bloodfang would send it to me for Warding, he almost had an aneurysm as soon as I put it in front of him, saying it had to be kept in my vault.” Iolanthe smirked evilly remembering that scene. It was the only time the bloodthirsty smirk of that little bastard disappeared from his face.

“The Great Skull has become a hero!” Skull’s yelling interrupted their conversation and the three saw him wearing the Bone Mask, using the Dragon scale as a shield and rising the sword as high as his toddler body could. Only then they realized why they were sent such troublesome items.

They were too conspicuous. It seemed the castle actually had a Ward Stone and the Goblins wanted that money from telling where it was.

“Fuck them!” Iolanthe flipped. “We are going to use them and not pay a single cent!”

“How?” Hermione asked. The Peverell castle was near a quaint neighborhood and placing the creepy objects out for everyone to see was a bit… With the fact that they wouldn’t actually hide the castle but confound people so it would look like a normal orphanage/school, then the usage of the items was extremely troublesome.

“What about building an arch entrance and use the Dragon scale as one of the tiles in the roof?” Draco suddenly recommended.

“Use the items as props? I think it is a good idea.” Hermione nodded approving.

“As for the others…”

Pouring over ideas, the three finally knew what to do with the items for them to act as Warding materials. They still stayed for a week in the castle waiting for the new decorations to be built and then begin with the Warding. Petal and Dew began to urge Iolanthe to go back as Reborn’s free week was over and there was nobody suitable to take care of the kids. The poor House-elves even had to employ an unorthodox babysitter who could keep Farid and Teddy occupied while they were left in charge of Adhara.

With their job done and back in Britain, Draco returned to an unending list of potions he needed to make for St. Mungos and many other Apothecaries he provided for. Hermione was suffocated by paperwork from the Wizengamot that she almost cried but decided to rebel and went to sleep first. Iolanthe returned to the Potter Home to Xanxus screaming “Come here, you little fuckers!” while chasing after the laughing Farid and Teddy wearing a pink tutu and hair full of ribbons.

The first thing Iolanthe thought was: Xanxus has nice legs.

The second thing she thought was: I don’t want to know, I’m going to sleep.

 

…

 

“Legilimens!”

Xanxus was used to Iolanthe using that Spell on him. He was unaware of how long he had spent in that house but seeing the seasons changing, the kids growing and fucking finding out Iolanthe was a Witch married to the Sun Arcobaleno, Reborn, and having a kid with him, Xanxus gave up on thinking and just concluded it had been years. She often entered his mind to review little events in his life that always made him rage, after that it was always him being swept around the floor by Iolanthe though he had lately been getting better and they once battled around for a whole afternoon.

He no longer took that vile stuff he was told was a potion that made him sleep and he was eating normal food instead of the other vile stuff that was a nutrition potion. The Sunroom was still where he slept but he normally interacted with the Family living inside the house.

Or as normally as one could in that house.

Iolanthe not only was his doctor/therapist, she also informed him of what was going on with the Varia and was occasionally his sparring partner. The House-elves were like silent helpers he barely interacted with. Farid and Teddy were always being chased by him due to the constant pranks he suffered from them. The portraits were the masterminds behind those pranks with the Sun Arcobaleno wholeheartedly approving while doting on his youngest daughter who was a Sun like him and was in charge of teaching her what it meant being a Sun even if she was only a toddler with poor communication skills.

The Family was not normal but never once he thought they were weird. They even made up for the noisiness that was the Varia.

That day she once again did her little trip to memory lane, his memory lane, or so he thought. He found himself in the hallway of a pub looking at a door. There were voices coming out of the room in front when suddenly the door opened and he unconsciously entered. There he found three people talking, he recognized the name of the man they were talking about, Sirius Black, the man in the portrait. They talked about how he betrayed Iolanthe’s parents to someone and how he was her Godfather. The door abruptly opened and he was able to hear Iolanthe’s soft footsteps running down the hallway.

The scene changed to a dilapidated room with a teenager Iolanthe scooted in a corner together with two other teenagers, before them was a bedraggled Sirius Black and Remus Lupin trying to explain what really happened the night Iolanthe’s parents died. Then it was all a dramatic scene of a rat transforming into a man, the so called dead Peter Pettigrew and uncovering the truth. After committing the stupidest act in Xanxus humble opinion of not killing the rat, the scene changed to Sirius and Iolanthe talking about living together as Family. Unfortunately, the rat escaped and Sirius was never proven innocent leaving him a fugitive, always hiding.

The next scenes were those in which Iolanthe and Sirius briefly interacted but despite it all, they looked like a family or at least they tried to make it look as if they were family since they were not related by blood. Weird scenes followed including the one where a man was being attacked and what would turn out to be the last peaceful interaction between Sirius and Iolanthe during Christmas. After that was a scene of Sirius being tortured and Iolanthe going to his rescue like a hero only to be deceived. Xanxus was not that surprised by that, he discovered that Iolanthe could be rather naive sometimes and easy to take advantage of.

Though his fists still tightly clenched when he heard her desperate cries when Sirius died being taken away by that Veil. Next it was a flurry of actions of her wanting revenge but not getting it and an awesome battle between an old man and a hideous snake-man. The final scene he witnessed rather hit home in him.

The old man hid the truth from her, truth that would have saved Sirius, her last Family member. He could see the grief, the anger, the betrayal and the destruction in her eyes before ending up empty. Xanxus was sure she heard everything the old man said but she was not processing the information as all that was left in Iolanthe was guilt. He was reminded of the day of his fight with Nono; he was drowning in his own emotions that he didn’t care about his actions or of what Nono was saying but he was sure there was something in Nono’s eyes that resonated with Iolanthe.

Guilt.

That old man and Iolanthe was just a reflection of him and Nono.

“Did you forgive him?” He asked when everything was over. He stared at his clenched fists.

“Eventually. It helped that he sincerely apologized.” She replied, playing with the ring in her thumb. “I wished everything had been different but that is as I said, a wish. The truth was hidden, Sirius died and I lost my last Family member. However… I couldn’t afford dwelling too much on it. War never waited for anyone and I focused on what I could still save instead of the ones already gone. I still live with the guilt but more than that I’ve learned to live for the living.” She stood up and placed her ring on his palm. “Turn the gem three times and you will be able to see your Grandmother.” After that, she left.

Xanxus stared at the ring for a long time. Dinner time came and went and he was still staring. It wasn’t until well into the night that he moved, his fingers turned the gem three times and he waited.

“Xanxus.” A voice he hadn’t heard in a long time sounded above him.

“ _ _Nonna.”__

He might not forgive that fucking old man for what he did because he was not one to forgive but Daniela Vongola was and would always be his Grandma, his Nonna.

The following day, Xanxus stated, with no room to questions, that he was going back to Italy. Surprisingly, no one thought it strange and only prepared his stuff for his return. Iolanthe called for Toty and instructed him to take Xanxus to the Black House in Italy and then take him to the neighbors across the garden. His face remained stoic discovering she was neighbors with the Varia and even their landlord although he had pummeled Iolanthe to the ground in his mind. Being sent off by the Potters was a noisy affair as he was pranked one last time by the kids. Damn brats, he never discovered how they managed to sneak on him.

Still, they bade their farewells with a smile and he finally understood Iolanthe’s emotion when she looked at him.

Family.

Contrary to the happy Potters, the Varia cried and begged for mercy when he returned to put them in their place. Iolanthe received a letter days later from Mammon complaining about returning their Boss when they were lazying around; they put a really short and sincere thanks at the end, though.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Curiosities of this chapter!
> 
> While I was writing, there was an earthquake that almost makes me run out of my house, lol but I'm ok, everybody is ok and the chapter was done xD


	45. The Tenth, No-Good Tsuna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Decimo being decided on, Reborn embarks on his task of training the impossibly civilian Sawada Tsunayoshi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a few warnings before you read this chapter.
> 
> There is a huge time skip so, you might not understand a bit what Iolanthe or Reborn may be talking about but I will write about it in future chapters so you are not that lost.
> 
> Not all the orphans will be mentioned but some stories will be told in the following chapters to begin introducing the different Magicks I will write about. 
> 
> Please don't feel upset of how Iolanthe and Reborn's relationship is being portrayed. Lots of things have happened in those three years skip and by now you should know how the Reborn in this fic has turned out. Basically, he is just afraid. Understand him a bit. 
> 
> The interactions between Reborn and Tsuna won't be like in the manga/anime because Reborn finally has experience in training with his kids. He might be a bit crueler with Tsuna but pay attention to what Reborn says to and thinks of Tsuna. After all, Reborn is a Dad :D 
> 
> I'm sorry this chapter is only about the first manga chapter but I really needed to introduce a bit the dynamic between those two and Tsuna's thoughts. I didn't want to make him so scattered-brained like in the series. He does have serious issues but he has a bit more of awareness regarding himself. 
> 
> And sorry about not posting the second chapter last week, I was out the whole weekend and had no chance to write. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this chapter and thanks for reading and being patient :D
> 
> Edited: 8/20

* * *

 

There had been many whispers in the Mafia World recently.

In bars, pubs, restaurants, alleys, even in the mansions of the many Famiglias, the news about Nono finally deciding on the candidate for the next Head of the Vongola Famiglia, the Decimo, had been widely spread. There were many opinions about it. There were many who sneered and mocked at Nono's delayed course of action; after all, not only a few months ago his son Federico was killed with not even a corpse to identify. It had taken a bit to confirm the bone remains were Federico. 

The allies of the Vongola had finally let off some of the tension they had been carrying. After receiving news of Federico dying, they had been pressuring Nono to make a decision; either unfreeze Xanxus or decide on another candidate seeing as the proper Vongola line was close to extinct. So when Nono gave them this ray of hope in the form of a new candidate for Decimo and most likely the next Head, they had tried their best to know anything about him or her. The only information they got was that the person was residing in Japan and that someone was going to train him.

That trainer being none other than the Greatest Hitman, the Sun Arcobaleno, the Vongola assassin, Reborn. With that trainer, the allies had sighed relieved and approved of Nono’s move of assigning Reborn to the Decimo as they needed someone to guide them through the turbulent waters that was the Mafia World and not sink trying; which would be hard as the environment recently had been very tense.

The Varia had been very quiet as of late. They had stuck to doing their missions and try not to die on their Boss’ hands. Since Xanxus had secretely returned and threatened everybody to not reveal his presence, the Varia had become even more disciplined. Of course, that was because nobody wanted to become Boss’ sparring partner. He turned into a merciless demon that reeked of killing intent while muttering things like ‘next time, I’ll catch you’ or ‘you’ll pay for everything’. Sincerely, the poor Varia members often had nightmares of their Boss.

But most importantly, they were very loyal to him successfully preventing the news of his return from spreading. The Officers were very curious what Xanxus would do with Nono deciding on the Decimo that was clearly not him and were inwardly ready to raid the Vongola Headquarters at his orders but unexpectedly he said nothing and kept supervising the Varia. The only person aware of the truth braved himself to ask the Boss what he was going to do but was stopped when an owl suddenly arrived carrying a letter for Xanxus.

Squalo didn’t know what had happened during the Boss’ stay at the Potters but he noticed there was something different in Xanxus after he returned. He was the same explosive guy he met and decided to follow, there was still that fury, that might exuding from him and his killing intent had vastly improved which was good in the Varia. Overall, the Boss was the same as before even if a bit lazy and carefree in some aspects of running the Varia that made Squalo yell at Xanxus and get beaten up for his effort. And that was one thing that was different in Xanxus, his Boss could easily beat him up when before he had to put an effort.

Squalo thought the Boss had become even more unfathomable which made his blood boil and wanted to fight him without a care in the world but there was something measured and methodical in the way the Boss attacked, it wasn’t free and unrestrained; his new style was even deadlier. But that was not what Squalo had him more surprised about the Boss. It was something that had to do with those letters he received. The Boss never had a good expression while reading them, his face depicted the perfect emotions of wanting to kill someone but whenever he was reading them, he was somewhat… approachable.

That was frightening in its own way. The fact the Boss calmly stashed the letter in one of the drawers of his desk was hair-rising. Once done with what Squalo dubbed as ‘the letter routine’, the Boss went back to his sadistic/lazy/merciless self and blasted the Rain Officer out of his office without rhyme or reason. In the end, Squalo had no chance to ask what his shitty Boss would do in the future but for some reason he didn’t care. As long as the Boss was there, nothing else mattered.

Contrary to the laid back environment in Varia Headquarters, there was someone who was kneeling in front of his Wife while explaining himself.

In one of the rooms in the Peverell castle. A young woman was sitting on the huge bed, still half-asleep, with her hair all over the place and her nightgown dangerously slipping off her shoulders while looking at her kneeling Husband. Frankly, she had no idea what was going on as she had woken up to that sight and was having trouble processing the scene. It was still early but she needed to prepare because the kids were going to have a flying class that day and they were finally going to create their first teams and open up the first league in a couple of months.

The Peverell Castle housed over 50 kids. From babies of even months old to preteens of twelve with the oldest one being a teenager of fourteen. Named Tariq, he was the very first child they had received when they hadn’t even opened the place officially. He was an abandoned squib from a Hungarian Pureblood family that Tariq refrained from mentioning so they never knew from where he came from and didn’t care. As soon as he crossed the front door, he was already part of the Family. What was curious about Tariq was that despite being a squib, he was a Seer and that was how he found the Peverell Castle. He had Seen it.

At ten-years-old when he arrived, he was already a sensible child but still not one to fend for himself. And just like his name referred to, he came knocking at night timidly asking for a place to stay. Luckily, Hermione was checking up the place to see if everything was in order and was able to receive him. That made Iolanthe hasten up the opening process and hurriedly moved into the Peverell Castle under the excitement of Farid and Teddy who were thrilled at the idea of living in a castle. The language barrier was the first obstacle they faced but Iolanthe made Skull teach her the basics of Hungarian before he left so she was able to communicate with Tariq.

As he was the very first person there, he lived in the same floor as the Potters for a long time until more kids arrived and he could finally share a room with another boy even if younger than him. Iolanthe thought he was going to have problems adjusting to his new life but he easily accepted it, considerably saddening her as he actually had a family. He was different from many kids who were truly orphans and Iolanthe had picked up from other orphanages around the world and who were different from their peers. Different as in they possessed Magick.

The babies were left at their door with a note of the parents -most likely- saying they couldn’t take care of the newborn and hoped they could grow up happily without facing difficulties. In a way, Iolanthe understood the adults that did that as taking care of a baby was not easy, but the fact they could easily abandon a child to strangers -no matter how much the strangers could help- was disheartening. Petal and Dew could finally put their expertise in action by taking care of those babies.

The place had grown very lively with the kids and Iolanthe was gratified that each and every one of them could smile despite their sad beginning.

Though she had to admit that the most difficult part was not getting the kids but getting people to teach them. As kids with different kind of Magicks, they needed specialized teaching which Iolanthe and the others couldn’t provide. Magicals were easy and the few Flame users they got received special training from none other than Varia members. She had nicely asked Xanxus to allow him someone to come teach about Flames. At first, he had vehemently refused but when she threatened to beat him black and blue in front of his Officers and subordinates, he reluctantly relented.

And so, the one-month ‘vacation’ for Varia members who were good with handling children was born. The month Lussuria arrived, he couldn’t help squeal delighted to see such chubby and bright kids.

Iolanthe was taken out of some of her reminiscing thoughts when Reborn explained the reason of his kneeling.

“Nono has decided on the Decimo; a teen called Tsunayoshi Sawada who lives in Japan. Nono has assigned me the task of training him to be a Mafia Boss. My method of training is different and requires me to commute 24/7 with the trainee. So, it is going to be a long mission and I won’t be able to come home for the free week.” His words were precise and concise, telling her the important information.

Iolanthe looked at the toddler that had been her Husband for almost four years and she had to admit that although their relationship was good, it hadn’t progressed much in those years. The both were to blame in everything as they had been busy with their own things; Reborn with his Mafia stuff and Iolanthe with running the Peverell Castle. She had given up on the Wizengamot and made Hermione occupy her seat as proxy which stunned the British Wizarding community but also understood discovering the reason behind her not being involved in the Wizengamot matters anymore.

To be honest, Iolanthe was aware of her Husband’s unchanging feelings and she had somewhat given up. Although she was unwilling, she accepted that no matter what she did, the final move had to come from him. Yet after years of waiting, she just stopped hoping. And hearing him say he was not going to return for his monthly visits, the first thought was not how she would feel but how the kids would feel.

Farid liked spending time with him even if she had even more kids to play with; she even had a best friend who was a Parselmouth from a rare line of Snake Charmers in Burkina Faso. The girl’s family had been attacked, leaving her alone in the world. Teddy always looked forward to him coming back so he could teach the boy something new; after knowing his sister Farid had been training to be strong, he also followed her steps and actively asked Reborn for training. Though the worst was Adhara. The almost three-year-old was like a sticky candy, always glued to him whenever he was home. It was such the attachment that she cried rivers and oceans whenever he left.

To know he wasn’t coming back for who knows how long… Iolanthe could already hear their cries and complaints.

She sighed. “When are you leaving?”

“Right now.” His reply made her heart shake. _Such hurry,_ she thought. He wasn’t even going to see the kids and say goodbye; though she guessed it was better to save himself the heartbreaking farewell. She remained silent for a while just staring into space, not really thinking. Her eyes wandered to the calendar hanging from a wall and her eyes flashed.

Seeing her dazed expression, Reborn inwardly sighed. He hadn’t been a good Husband to this woman in front of her and he was really sorry about it. He was afraid to lose her but the thought of fully opening up to her was even more terrifying to him. She had the chance to see more of his past some time ago but even that instance didn’t make any change in their relationship which was completely his fault, he admitted that. And telling her that he was leaving was also not good for their stagnant relationship which was probably only surviving thanks to the kids.

Reborn inwardly apologized to her and was ready to depart when he noticed her move towards him.

“Do you know how troublesome it will be to tell the kids about this?” She asked with her voice still rough from sleep. Her short, silk nightgown barely covered the curves she had gained after her pregnancy and she toned with light exercise. “You need to compensate, Renato.”

Reborn guessed the only thing he had done well after all the years being married was keeping her satisfied. Iolanthe seemed to have thrown all decorum out the window and just enjoyed herself while doing it. And if he wasn’t reading her wrong, then they were going to roll in the sheets before he left. Being thrown on the bed was all the confirmation he needed. As his body changed to his adult form thanks to Iolanthe doing her magic on the Pacifier, his eyes never once strayed off her. She always had that effect on him; as long as she was in front of him, his eyes tended to follow her figure.

“How do you want me to compensate?” He asked with a tight voice. Iolanthe had just slowly taken off her nightgown leaving her in only her panties and he was immediately interested.

Straddling him, her hands gently undid his tie, unbuttoned his jacket, then his shirt all the while directly looking at him. When she reached his pants, she finally replied. “Give me another child.”

Reborn’s breath hitched and his pupils dilated. His pants instantly disappeared together with his underwear. Their daughter was almost three years old and although they were not in any danger of dying from that contract, they hadn’t fulfilled it either. Perhaps it was time for another child. He liked seeing Iolanthe round with his child, anyway. The thought made him act and quickly pressed her under his body. “Give me another daughter.” He breathed right above her lips which he took.

“I want a son.” She stiltedly said clutching at his hair while his hands and tongue left a hot trail on her body. His actions stopped. “Why?”

Reborn knew she wasn’t asking why he had stopped but why he didn’t want a boy. He gently leaned on her stomach and pondered. He felt she knew the answer after that time in the suburbs of Sicily but she wanted to hear it from him and it was the least he could do before leaving. Being honest. “I don’t want to continue this cursed line. I want all my kids to be Potters.” He whispered.

His hair was tugged and he lifted his head to look at Iolanthe who was smiling at him with love he was used to receive and enjoyed dwelling in. “It doesn’t matter what they are called. As long as they are yours, I am happy.” He snorted. Maybe she couldn’t really understand how he felt that’s why she said that… Or maybe it was him not understand her feelings. Either way, they had to make a kid first and he only had to pray it was another girl.

Iolanthe watched him leave after a very busy hour of nonstop moaning, panting, grunting and bed creaking. She was running late for her flying class but she couldn’t help bury herself back into the bed that still had his smell and at the same time bury her thoughts. After all, Luna had told her she had advised Draco and Astoria to try for a son around April or May. The young Malfoy couple had been unlucky in the procreation matter since they were also busy but kept trying. It was after years of no news that Luna decided to help a bit and came up with that. Iolanthe just never thought she would use the advise herself.

Iolanthe trusted Luna so she gave it a try. If it didn’t work, then she would visit him to try again. She really wanted another kid.

The schemed on Husband had just arrived at Japan using the private jet of the Vongola when his body went back to his toddler form. He calculated the time and confirmed again the transformation lasted for around six hours. It hadn’t gone up or down for the last year but he wasn’t complaining. After all, having six hours with his normal body was better than being stuck at his toddler form forever.

He once again checked on the information about Sawada Tsunayoshi and he had to admit the kid was not cut to be a Mafia Boss. Everything about him screamed civilian and Reborn many times asked himself if Nono had taken the correct decision. In his opinion, Xanxus was a better option than this teenager that was not older than Tariq. Tariq was horrible at physical activities but his mind was very quick and Reborn liked teaching him Math. Thanks to that, Tariq was planning to get a career in Math in the University.

Tsunayoshi’s profile was a disaster. The kid himself was a disaster; poor grades, no physical adeptness, no friends, always being bullied. It was a wonder the kid was a Sky, according to the information given by Nono. Not even Dino was this hopeless when Reborn began to train him. His intuition told him there was something going on with Tsunayoshi, something beyond the fact the kid was the Head of the CEDEF, Sawada Iemitsu's son and looked very much like Primo. He wasn’t totally ignorant and knew they were descendants of Primo himself. He was just curious about what Iemitsu and Nono wanted to achieve by making Tsunayoshi the next Vongola Head.

Anyway, he had a student to teach and his sadistic smirk once more returned to his face. If he made his own kids go through hellish training, why not make Tsunayoshi, the Decimo, go through an even more hellish training?

  


…

  


Tsunayoshi Sawada, fourteen, a first year middle schooler and the famous no-good Tsuna once again was hit by the ball while playing basketball successfully making his team lose. And as always, he would be forced by his classmates to do their jobs of cleaning the courts because of it. Either way, he was aware he was not intelligent nor athletic; he really was a no-good person. His only reason for going to school was only to see the innocent smile of one Sasagawa Kyoko. If someone asked him, she was the cutest girl in the school. But well, nobody asked him as he was no-good Tsuna.

It had been years since his name hadn’t been said without the ‘no-good’; even his Mom thought the same. As disheartening as it was, he couldn’t help to think that maybe the others were right. Classes were difficult, sports were a no-no and even his luck was the worst. How he had survived all those years, he himself also pondered about it. But what he wondered a lot was if he always had been like that. Asking his Mom was useless. If anything, he was convinced part of his no-goodness probably came from her as she wasn’t smart. She lacked common sense. His father… there was nothing to ask that person. Perhaps the other part of his uselessness came from him.

In the end, he concluded he was the amalgamation of his parents’ worst traits. What a life that was!

“Tsunayoshi! School called saying you skipped classes again.” _Geez, as if she cared I go to class,_ he thought up in his room. “Don’t you want to go to a good high school and then a nice a college?” Sawada Nana, Tsunayoshi’s Mom, barged into his room.

“Don’t get in just like that!” He argued. Even if she was his Mom, he also needed his space!

“Really, with your grades perhaps going to college was impossible, but high school sounds good.” And there it was, her daily belittling. “Going to high school is like being in the peak of youth. It makes you think it is good to be alive! Don’t you also think so?”

“Stop saying nonsense. You should be ashamed to be saying that out loud.” Well, the good part of having her as a Mom was the fact one could easily get along with her. She was extremely simple and naive. That was why Tsunayoshi sometimes worried about her; no matter how lacking she was, at the end she was his Mom. It was better than nothing.

“That’s why, Tsu-kun, I hired a home tutor.” His Mom slyly said seeing him being very reticent.

“What?! Why?!” Just what he needed, another person knowing his uselessness.

“Well, there was this interesting flyer in the mail box about raising you to become the new leader of the next generation and your grades weren’t taken into account. So, give it a chance! Where else would you find a good opportunity like this.” She exclaimed.

“You must have been scammed.” He muttered seeing her happy face at such fake publicity. “Either way, I don’t need a tutor. I’m not good at anything, so why bother?”

“Ciaossu!” Someone suddenly said startling both mother and son. They looked down to where the voice came from and noticed there was a toddler in the room. “I am the home tutor, Reborn.”

“No way.” Tsunayoshi whispered to then laugh out loud. “So it was a prank. No wonder the flyer was too fake.”

“Since I am here, I will evaluate Tsuna now.” Saying so, Reborn easily kicked Tsuna unconscious. His thought, _this kid is too weak._ “Don’t worry Sawada Nana, I will make your son the best kid in the world.” The Mafia World, that is. That reassured the woman and carelessly left Tsuna with him. Reborn narrowed his eyes looking at the back of the woman and whatever he thought, he saved it for another time. For the time being…

Nap time. A habit he acquired while raising his kids.

When Tsuna woke up, he was laying on the floor and that Reborn guy was comfortably sleeping. He couldn’t believe he was knocked out by a toddler. That was another dark mark to his uselessness. “Hey! Wake up! What’s with you! Just because you are a baby doesn’t mean you can go attacki-”

His words halted when he felt a small hand grabbing his collar and the world turned upside down. Eh? He was… “You shouldn’t wake up an assassin roughly from their nap.” Say what now? “But you will learn. After all, you will become the next Head of a Mafia Famiglia. Let me present myself again, Sawada Tsunayoshi. My name is Reborn, an assassin under the orders of a person to be your home tutor and make you a Mafia Boss.”

“Whaaat?! A Mafia Boss?!” Tsuna yelled in fear. Those are dangerous people! And he was just a normal person! Useless at that. From where he would become a Mafia Boss?!

Reborn watched with keen eyes the teenager’s reaction. It was obvious Tsuna had no notion, idea or recollection of the Mafia World. That was weird. Reborn could feel that Tsuna was already an active Sky, so Iemitsu should have already told him about the Mafia World. Or at least Tsuna should have been given a half-assed explanation like how he had done with Farid and Teddy so they wouldn’t become involved in it. Iolanthe was very adamant in that as she couldn’t do anything about Adhara. If she could help it, then giving their kids a more peaceful life was her ultimate goal.

But back to Tsunayoshi. It wasn’t unheard of active Flames being unaware of the Mafia World so he had to rectify that.

“My evaluation of you is: you are worse than a three-year old.” Reborn stated. At least, his Adhara was better than him; daughter’s fool fatherly feeling aside. Seeing the teenager’s constipated face at the truth was very entertaining. “Your training will begin...” _Grumble…_ “later, I need to eat.” It was dinner time, anyway.

Tsuna stayed in his room trying to comprehend what was said and happened. But no matter how much he thought about it, it was futile. There was no way he would become a Mafia Boss, no, that was not the most important part. The most important fact was that the baby, Reborn, was just a prankster so there was no way he was an assassin as he claimed or that he could tutor anyone for that matter. He was just a baby. Believing he had resolved the prank, he stood up and made his way down. He needed some air to forget what just happened.

“Mom, I’m going to eat out, give me some- What’s he doing here!?” Tsuna yelled seeing that Reborn guy happily eating dinner at his house’s table.

“The contract states Reborn-kun will live in the house until your grades go up.” His Mom replied with a smile as if it was normal that a baby would tutor a teenager.

“That’s just a scam, Mom! Argh, never mind, I’m going out.” Tsuna gave up trying to convince his Mom. Once she believed something, there was no way to make her think otherwise so it was a losing battle. “Then, why are you following me?” He asked eyeing the baby walking beside him. “Don’t you have grade school or something?” He grumbled in a bad mood.

“An assassin doesn’t go to grade school.” Reborn calmly replied.

Though the question reminded him to ask Iolanthe if the kids were doing well in their studies. He had totally forgotten as they were busy trying to make another baby. Farid was going to be nine that year and she had already learned five languages as she needed them to communicate with all the kids in the Peverell castle. Teddy, at six, was too energetic to sit still during class which worried Iolanthe. Luckily, he was smart enough to learn what was being taught even if it was just under her for the time being. Adhara was too young to begin her education but had become a chatter box that repeated everything she heard. Iolanthe and him had been very careful of what they said in front of her.

He was taken out of his thoughts when Tsuna suddenly hid behind a wall and a moment later he was face to face with a girl around Tsuna’s age who started squealing the moment she saw him. Sincerely, he preferred Iolanthe seductively calling him all sort of names under the sun than being called cute. But he still was a gentleman and greeted the teenager. After their brief, inane conversation, Reborn noticed the gloomy face on Tsuna’s face and something clicked in his mind.

“You have a crush on her, don’t you?” It was fun teasing people in love. He liked doing that with his Wife at the beginning of their relationship or whenever he saw her stressing too much.

“That’s none of your business!” Hehe, nailed it.

“Have you told her yet?” Remembering the time Iolanthe confessed to him, he couldn’t help thinking she was brave. After all, it was common for men to move first. Unlike her, this Tsunayoshi was like him, a coward. Though at least Reborn never diminished himself and he could face the person he liked. “You really are a loser.” He commented after hearing Tsuna talk so badly about himself. “I will help you fulfill your wish to confess to her.”

“No, I don’t want to confess.” Tsuna shook his hands in a panic. And he panicked more when a gun was pointed at him. His first thought was that it might be a toy but the baby didn’t look like he was playing.

“Now, die.”

Reborn never thought he would have to use his special Dying Will bullets so soon and watched with interest as Tsuna roared “I’m going to tell Sasagawa Kyoko how I feel with my Dying Will” and ran as if he had hounds following him.

The Dying Will bullet was a special bullet created by the Vongola Famiglia which made the one who was shot with it resurrect with their Dying Will activated. The key for it to work was that the person needed to regret something the moment they were shot, otherwise… What made the bullet very popular despite the short five minutes of effect was the Dying Will aspect. A person could activate their Flames but to enter their Dying Will to break their own limits required tons of practice and a great control on their Flames. After all, the Dying Will mode put the user in a great physical strain.

Tsuna stopped lamenting about the embarrassing moment he went through of confessing his feelings to Sasagawa Kyoko in front of a lot of people with only his underwear on, most likely making her think he was a pervert, and paid attention to what Reborn had said about the Dying Will bullet.

“You mean I could have died?!” He screeched but was silenced by a slap from Reborn. “Hey, what’s the Vongola Famiglia?” Tsuna docilely asked accepting he was no match for the baby.

That question confirmed Reborn’s suspicions that Tsunayoshi was truly unaware of the Mafia World, of what Iemitsu did and more importantly, that Tsuna had actually already met Nono; if the old man wasn't lying. It was strange. “It was the Vongola’s Ninth Generation Boss that assigned me the task to make you the Tenth Generation after his sons were killed. The most qualified, Enrico, died in a gunfight. The second, Massimo, was drowned; very old Mafia style. And finally Federico, all that remained were his bones. So the only one left is you.”

“What? Why’s that?” Tsuna asked in a high pitch after seeing the gruesome pictures of how those men ended up. He was sure going to have nightmares of that bloated man who was drowned.

“Simply put, you are a descendant of Primo; the founder of the Vongola Famiglia who moved to Japan after he retired. That makes you a legitimate candidate with your bloodline.” Noticing Tsuna’s reactions, Reborn nodded approving the semi-calm way he was taking the information. “Don’t worry about anything else. As I said, my job is to make you into an outstanding Mafia Boss. Anyway, I’m going to sleep.” He finally announced after having changed into his pajamas.

“Wait, wait! I don’t want to be a Mafia Boss! And don’t put traps in my room! Hey!” Tsuna complained but it was for naught, the baby was already asleep. But, Mafia Boss, that was impossible for him. That was like something taken out from a manga. No-good Tsuna becoming like those terrifying people who could easily kill for anything. He despondently chuckled and went to sleep himself.

With all the information concerning the Vongola Famiglia, becoming a Mafia Boss and Reborn being an assassin, Tsuna had forgotten he had confessed to Kyoko and was reminded the moment he was in front of his classroom. It became worse when his classmates began jeering at him for what he did. His eyes glanced at a quiet and subdued Kyoko and for a moment his heart was at a loss. Although she wasn’t participating in the mocking that he was used to, she didn’t help him explain either. Even if he was in the wrong, he couldn’t help feel a bit disappointed.

“You can’t run away this time.” A voice sounded behind him when he planned on slipping away. “Captain Mochida is waiting for you in the dojo.” A guy from the kendo club said while signaling the other members to take Tsuna to the dojo.

Tsuna watched how Mochida senpai did his heroic monologue tagging him as a perverted villain who had disrespected Kyoko. Tsuna was already embarrassed of being rejected by Kyoko but to be treated as such as if his feelings were worth nothing was maddening. Sadly, there was nothing he could do to clean his good name and immediately ran away with the excuse of wanting to go to the bathroom. His plan of getting away was thwarted when Reborn caught him in a simple rope trap.

“What are you doing here, Reborn?!” Tsuna thought the baby had left when he didn’t see him in his room in the morning. Who would have thought he would find the baby in school?

“I have to make sure you act like a proper Mafia Boss. First thing, you never run away from a challenge.” Reborn educated the hanging Tsuna. “Although teaching a kid is hard, I am very responsible with my job. And we already have a relationship, so it’s no problem.” Being mentor and mentee was like being a father and child. Or at least, that is how he had been doing it for years with his own kids. Dino could also be considered being raised by him even if that stupid student of his ended up more like Iolanthe. Really, just a few months with her and he was completely taken by her. He even made a technique based on her fighting style.

Tsuna didn’t want to admit he was moved by Reborn’s words. “I’m just worthless, so leave me alone!” He yelled.

“That’s right. You are worthless as a Mafia Boss. That’s why we will have to depend on the relationship of a Hitman and his target. Now, Tsuna, die.” Reborn pointed and shot his gun.

Tsuna didn’t have time to process his words when he was hit by the bullet. The second time he could barely discern how the bullet worked as his mind echoed with his most recent regret. Before dying, he should beat Mochida-senpai. Boundless strength filled his body which felt as if it would explode and before he could lose his mind to the power of regret, he felt something familiar inside. He couldn’t stop to think about that familiar feeling when he felt he was running at high speed towards the gymnasium. Next thing he knew he was tearing Mochida-senpai’s hair yelling about all the pon.

When he came to himself, he could finally think about what had happened. It was all thanks to the Dying Will and Reborn that he was able to become more than he was. He didn’t need anybody’s praises, he only wanted to prove himself that he was good at something even if it meant…

“Tsuna-kun.” Kyoko’s voice halted his thoughts. “Sorry about yesterday. I normally don’t know when to laugh at jokes.” Ah, she thought he was joking. He didn’t know if he should feel relieved or not. Either way, confessing, even if under the Dying Will effect somehow made him feel a lot calmer in front of her. “You are incredible. You definitely are not an average guy.”

No, he was an average guy. It was all that guy’s, Reborn, doing. Maybe that guy could tell him about that familiar feeling. Entering his room, Tsuna was about to ask the napping Reborn yet his feet tangled in a hidden trap and his room exploded.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sure you know what -kun, -senpai, etc, etc, are used for so I'm not gonna explain that. 
> 
> I just need your opinion if you want the names to be like Tsunayoshi Sawada with name-surname style or Sawada Tsunayoshi, surname-name style. Complete names will rarely appear once introduced a few times so I feel it doesn't matter but I do wonder about how you feel it would feel more comfortable and less confusing.


	46. Right and Left hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Tsuna begins learning what it means to be a Mafia boss, he makes two new friends. Or as Reborn calls them, subordinates.
> 
> The Right and Left hand of a Mafia Boss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, in a single chapter Reborn became scum xD To be honest, I, too, dislike that type of character that doesn't live up to expectations. More so, romantic expectations. 
> 
> I refrained from replying any comment because I would like for you to wait and see how everything develops without me giving any hint and hope you don't give up on the fic because of him. LOL 
> 
> Anyway, although the following chapters will be kind of similar to the ones in the manga, there will be a few changes. You will notice them :D
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!
> 
> Edited: 8/20

* * *

 

Tsuna had been learning what it meant to be a Mafia Boss. A person who could command hundreds of people, who was respected and admired by everybody sounded very much like a hero if he disregarded the fact a Mafia Boss was the leader of a criminal organization. Actually, he had been experiencing a bit what it meant being a Mafia Boss in his school. He was no ring leader of any gang; he was just seen with respect and admiration by many who had witnessed him beating Mochida-senpai. The feelings really did wonders to one's ego.

He was even called a hero by his classmate who needed him to play a volleyball game. He wanted to refuse as his feat with Mochida-senpai was just the effect of the Dying Will bullet but he couldn’t deny the guy as it was the first time someone seemed to really look at him as someone dependable and not with contempt for being no-good Tsuna. In any case, he just needed to get into that weird Dying Will mode and everything would be ok, right? However, as any hero out there, he also needed to face a few obstacles. His very first obstacle came in the form of not being able to use his handicap.

“You will die if you are shot without any regret. I thought I had explained that to you.” Reborn said sipping on his coffee.

“Ah! That’s right!” Reborn’s eyes narrowed. The first time he met Tsuna, the guy was a mess but after a couple of uses of his Dying Will and by consequence his Flames, he had changed a bit. By then, the Arcobaleno had confirmed there was something about Tsunayoshi that was not mentioned in the report Nono gave him. The question was, did Reborn want to know what it was?

“Do you still want to try?” Reborn asked pointing his gun at Tsuna.

“No! It’s ok.” Tsuna shrieked.

“Alright then, good luck with the game.” Reborn said before closing the small door to his base. From inside he could hear Kyoko talking to Tsuna and dragging him to the gymnasium where the game would take place. Even if he was unwilling, it was the first time Tsuna was facing a challenge without making up excuses to escape. He was already growing up.

Thinking about it, his kids also used to make up excuses and wanting to create handicaps for themselves. Farid’s very first handicap was using her snake form to climb trees when she overcame her fear of heights. She claimed it was easier than in human form but Reborn prohibited her turning into a snake, not even a limb or patch of skin and forced her to learn to climb like that. It was frustrating for her but she learned with time. Teddy, who finally was told who his real parents were, wanted to use the excuse of his Mother, Tonks, also being unable to control her Metamorphmagus abilities to laze around and not wanting to learn how to control them. He didn’t know what method Iolanthe used but Teddy became very diligent overnight.

But talking about handicaps, little Taylor was the master of them.

The boy’s story was infuriating but interesting. He was found by Luna when she did a trip to the States and discovered a tribe of Shamans. There were different kinds of Shamans around the world but the one Luna found was the Spirit Channeler type. The one that used Spirits to see the future, get advise, to learn and even fight. However, that tribe was succumbing to an awful plague that was attributed to a child, Taylor.

As tradition, when a child turned five, they would get to summon their own Guardian Spirit.

The day Taylor did his summoning, darkness revolved around the place and the Tribe Head concluded the child had summoned an evil Spirit. From that day on, he was forced to live in the outskirts of the tribe with no contact towards the other members and wearing weird accessories all over his body to ‘suppress’ the evil Spirit; in exile. But with the arrival of the plague nobody was saved except the kid who didn’t live in the tribe. However, Luna could still hear the reproachful screams of the members towards the kid, cursing him for killing them. She didn’t think it twice before carrying the crying kid away.

The interesting part of his story was that neither him nor his Guardian Spirit were responsible for the plague and his Guardian Spirit was even Death’s most trusted servant who protected the kid from the plague. Reborn had been told by Iolanthe how Death had complained about his servant being kidnapped and that she needed to look for him only to realize the servant was following a child. As Death’s most trusted servant, the Spirit knew meddling with the living world was forbidden so there was no need for all those suppressors in the child; child who was adamant in wearing them as he firmly believed they helped suppress his Spirit -which was not the case. Little did he know that Iolanthe had changed all of them for perfect useless replicas. Instead of suppressing, those things were calling for more spirits and she didn’t want a haunted castle.

Either way, little Taylor kept using his ‘handicaps’ no matter how many times Iolanthe had tried to convince him that his Spirit wouldn’t hurt anybody. To the date, Reborn knew he was still clad in all those accessories and had created some sort of trend with the kids, specially the older girls who started wearing the combination of wood and thread accessories. Even Farid couldn’t resist the trend and learned to make one for her room. It had to be said that Taylor was very deft with his little fingers in creating those accessories. Probably the only thing he could do while being exiled from his tribe.

Though more than a handicap, Reborn believed Tsuna was the perfect example of that quote ‘It is easy to go from poor to rich but difficult to go from rich to poor’. Having tasted glory, Tsuna didn’t want to go back to that dark past of being no-good Tsuna. Reborn had made a slight mistake in the teenager’s judgement. He thought Tsuna would still remain humble or not be bothered by the changes in his classmates, but taking into account that Tsuna was an immature teenager perhaps Reborn thought too highly of him. Not everybody could be like Iolanthe who cared nothing about fame, money and reputation. Even Reborn himself lost to her.

On another note, the person he had called for must have already arrived. Reborn was never one to interfere in his kids’ -or pupils- relationships (bar the fact he forbade Farid to get close to boys) but Tsuna was in serious need of a friend. A Mafia friend.

Tsuna wanted to cry. If he knew he would play that badly, he would have said no from the very beginning. He had gotten carried away by his own superior feelings and ended up dragging others down. He was aware he was only good after using the Dying Will bullet that going back to his useless self was disappointing not only to himself but to others too. Was that the only way? He sighed relieved when the first period was over and once again he gave an excuse to slip away.

“You’re not going home?” Reborn was surprised Tsuna was still in school after his poor performance in the game.

“I… being useless is my only way?” Tsuna had seen the determination of his classmates to win the game despite getting injured. But there he was, running away after a little setback.

“There is always another way.” Reborn said. There was always another way; one just needed to be brave to pursue it. And perhaps that was why Nono chose Tsuna, because he was brave enough to face the consequences of taking an unknown different path. Or that was just something inherent of Tsuna and nobody knew about it. In the end, what was Nono trying to do? “I guess I can give you a little hand.”

The popularity of the Dying Will bullet not only came from drawing the Dying Will in a person but also to improve the physique by getting shot in different places of the body. Of course, the most efficient way was to enter Dying Will mode but the bullet needed a special condition for it. So, even if a bit wasteful, the bullet could also give that little boost to the body.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier you could do that?” Tsuna reproached Reborn. The game had been a success thanks to those shots!

Really the type of guy who didn’t want to go back to being poor. “You would depend on the bullet.” Reborn’s words made Tsuna pause. It was true. He would do anything to stop being no-good Tsuna, even taking shortcuts like the bullet and he almost forgot all about hard work. Had he ever given his all at something? He didn’t remember. What did that say about him? “But if you so want to, then I wouldn’t mind turning you into my living target.”

“I rather not.” Tsuna quickly refused. Seeing the baby all happy because he had someone to shoot was really creepy. Tsuna concluded he should do things his own way.

However, Tsuna could see that Reborn actually wanted to teach him; even if it was useless things about the history of Mafia and how the Vongola Famiglia was based in Italy. Reborn’s own homeland. Tsuna was actually very curious about Reborn. A baby that called himself an assassin and was part of a criminal organization. Sometimes Tsuna could believe it as Reborn looked dangerous and was very strong but he drew the line when Reborn told him he was married and had three kids. Nobody would believe that. Perhaps it was the fact that Reborn came from Italy that Tsuna got interested in the transfer student.

Gokudera Hayato looked like a problem child, the type that would skip classes and bully others. Tsuna himself was bullied right off the bat by him. To make things worse, it seemed Kyoko was interested in Gokudera Hayato, just like the other girls who were fascinated by his bad boy vibe. All Tsuna wanted after that small altercation was to have nothing to do with him. Though it seemed that was not going to be when he discovered Gokudera was part of the Mafia, someone called by Reborn to actually… kill him?!

“Wha! You’re betraying me?! You mean becoming a Mafia Boss was all a lie?!” He was hurt of course. Just when he thought he had found someone who wanted to help him. But it seemed becoming Decimo was something not only he could do.

“Stop whining. I just want you two to fight.” Reborn dismissed Tsuna’s complaints and immediately revealed his plan.

 _Fight?_ The word stunned Tsuna.

Throughout the years he had only been adept at one sole thing, and that was running away. Like hell he would fight someone from the Mafia, someone his age that actually used dynamite as weapon and was called Smokin’ Bomb Hayato. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Tsuna shrieked around like a little girl as Gokudera kept throwing his dynamite and preventing him to run away. Reborn ignored the unsightly scene but still paid attention to Tsuna’s feet. Althought he was running away, he was quick and his body’s instinct to detect danger was somewhat honed. Perhaps being no-good Tsuna helped him a bit.

It was time. “Fight with your Dying Will.” _Let me see what you are capable of._

_Bang!_

“REBORN!! I will put out the fuses with my Dying Will!”

Oh, he became even faster. Reborn watched as Tsuna went around putting out the dynamite Gokudera threw resulting in even more dynamite being thrown and Tsuna increasing his speed again, defusing the second batch too. Although Tsuna wasn’t as fast as Reborn, he was as fast as Adhara when she used her Flames. At her mere three-years and with the constant use of her Flames, she was practically a little monster. Reborn lamented the fact he wouldn’t be able to give her the very first training until he was done with his job. Job he realized would take a while. Seeing Tsuna defuse even the triple bomb and increasing his speed further wasn’t surprising to Reborn; Skies were the strongest and the fastest.

“I was wrong!” Being saved by the ‘enemy’ from his own mistake, Gokudera felt extremely grateful and knew then and there that Sawada Tsunayoshi was the Boss he had been waiting for. “I’ll follow you Juudaime! Please command me!”

“Wha?!”

“The losing side always serves the winning side. That’s a Mafia rule.” Reborn interjected.

“Actually, I never want to be Decimo. I just wanted to test your strength as you are my age and Japanese, too. To be saved by you… I will surely put my life on the line for you too!” Gokudera confessed embarrassedly.

 _No, I was saving myself,_ Tsuna thought. Either way, he didn’t want a follower and things like ‘you save me, I save you’ were too troublesome. “I… let’s just be normal classmates.” He tried to reason.

“Definitely not!”

Eek!

Tsuna left it at that. Gokudera was still too terrifying to handle. Though, if Tsuna thought about it… “Good job, Tsuna, on acquiring your first subordinate and Family member.” Ah, just as he thought. He was already walking on the path of becoming a Mafia Boss. However he didn’t feel comfortable with that subordinate business. What he wanted…

“Wait, Gokudera-kun! Don’t use dynamite!”

Yeah, definitely having a subordinate was tiring, even if he took care of the school hooligans. And acting all scary in school, intimidating teachers and calling Tsuna Juudaime just made things worse. Especially if that intimidated teacher was Nezu who seemed to hate Tsuna. Tsuna knew deep, deep down that Gokudera was doing it for his own good but giving him a good-guy smile while grabbing Nezu’s collar, on the verge of strangling him, just made Tsuna want to disappear. Just as he thought, the Mafia was really scary!

But what was scary was… getting expelled! If he got expelled, he wouldn’t be able to see Sasagawa Kyoko. The reason why he entered that school. Tsuna knew Nezu hated him but to dig up a 15-year-old memory capsule buried in the school grounds… More like, why was he involved?! The one strangling Nezu was Gokudera!

“Just dig up that capsule.”

Oh, that voice. “Why are you so small!? Gya!” Tsuna thought it was Reborn but actually it was…

“Leon.” Eh! Not a chameleon?! “The chameleon that changes form.” Oh. The door to Reborn’s secret base opened from which Gokudera also came out. Just, how comfortable it was inside?

“I didn’t know you didn’t want to be expelled, Juudaime.” Gokudera said with an apologetic voice. “That’s why, leave it to me! If we blow up the playground then it’ll be easier and faster!”

 _No, that would just make us get expelled even faster._ “Wait, Gokudera-kun!” Ah, he couldn’t stop him. And he even got a share of the dynamite. However, since Gokudera arrived, his life had been more active; no, it all began when Reborn came. It was not that bad. That new life, he didn’t want to lose it; and definitely not by scheming teachers who hated him and only wanted to expel him.

For a moment, Tsuna didn’t recognize himself. He didn’t pay much attention to the Dying Will bullet hitting him. He just thought that his regret was more than not getting expelled or finding that capsule or not being able to see Sasagawa Kyoko anymore. He thought what would happen beyond getting expelled and his mind could only give him an answer, or more like every fiber of his being told him the same. Wrong, wrong, wrong. There was no way he could get expelled then and there because that would end everything and would make him miss a lot.

Attending Namimori Middle School was his fate.

Reborn could feel Sawada Tsunayoshi was changing. Even if the teenager still didn’t have the mentality of a Mafia Boss, getting into the mentality of a Sky was not far away. If that was the case perhaps he should change a bit the way he did things. Teaching Dino to be a Mafia Boss was easier as Dino knew everything about the Mafia; he just needed to be shaped into a Boss. What type of Boss he ended up being depended a lot on Dino himself. Perhaps, Reborn could take a leaf out of Dino’s book and focus on the subordinates.

Thinking about how Dino lived as a Mafia Boss for his subordinates made Reborn sigh. Truly too much like Iolanthe who liked to live for others. Iolanthe, no matter how much she wished to live her life for herself, she couldn’t. Iolanthe couldn’t be selfish. Halting his thoughts, Reborn went back to watching Tsuna being ostracized again only to be picked up by Yamamoto Takeshi, the sports star in the class, for their baseball team. “Yamamoto Takeshi, a Rain with top notch abilities and popular to boost. You are needed in the Family.”

Sigh. “We still lost.” Tsuna lamented. Being no-good Tsuna was depressing, yet it wasn’t as bad as before. Right? He still had to sweep the field, though.

“I came to help.”

“Yamamoto!?” The best and the worst in the class together to sweep the field. Tsuna wryly laughed at the situation. Yamamoto Takeshi had always been popular and good at sports, the total opposite of Tsuna, being chosen by him for his team. It was nice.

“Don’t think too much, it’s only P.E and it’s only sweeping the floor.” Yamamoto consoled seeing Tsuna’s expression. “Moreover, you really are amazing. The kendo club, the volleyball game… I only have baseball. That’s why you are amazing.”

 _No, I have nothing at all._ “What are you talking about? Your baseball skills are the best.” Tsuna kind of envied Yamamoto for being good at least in one thing. _Just, what am I good at?_ Reborn’s face inadvertently came to his mind. _Being a Mafia Boss was too scary. Definitely not good at that._

“Baseball… it’s not going well. My average is dropping and fielding is also no good. At this rate… Tsuna, what should I do?”

 _You are asking ME?_ But seeing Yamamoto’s downcast expression made Tsuna feel uncomfortable; he couldn’t relate to losing something but he was very familiar at having nothing and that was not… It wasn’t like Yamamoto to be like that. But Tsuna had no right to advice, after all, being no-good Tsuna…

_It’s not who you are._

Eh?

 _Then, what do I need?_ “More effort… ?” Tsuna mumbled to himself. Was that it?

“Yeah! That’s what I thought too! As expected, we think the same. It’s decided, today I will train like crazy!” Tsuna startled hearing Yamamoto’s upbeat mood. He had heard his mumbling? Had he done good? Tsuna didn’t know but seeing that carefree smile on Yamamoto was really the way it should be.

Either way, Tsuna’s first good deed ended up wrong. First, Reborn wanted him to make Yamamoto into another subordinate; the poor teenager even got a slap for opposing the idea and was threatened with a flame thrower too. With no choice but to say yes, Tsuna went to school with the intention of being friends with Yamamoto; at the end, he couldn’t make him a subordinate. But he got his next surprise when he heard Yamamoto was about to jump off the roof. It turned out he had practiced too much and broke his arm. Remembering Yamamoto’s words from the day before, Tsuna felt guilty and immediately went to the roof with the others.

However, he hesitated when he finally saw Yamamoto. Wouldn’t he make things worse?

“Aren’t you going to help your friend?” A voice came up from the side in the place Tsuna was hiding.

“I… he’s not-” Tsuna couldn’t even finish his words when he was pointed with a gun.

“Go.” As Tsuna ran away, Reborn put the gun away. _Truly a problematic child,_ Reborn thought. The teenager's self-esteem was too low and he had too many complexes. A Sky like that was never heard of. Even Dino was full of charisma and had no issues with meeting new people. Tsuna… he seems afraid of everything, as if the whole world is too unfamiliar. That unfamiliarity had been toppled with the bad luck and his horrible abilities to form what Tsuna was. Was he really a Sky? No, he really is. Then, was there something wrong with the Flames?

Just like how Farid had something wrong with her Magical Core resulting in her unique features?

What should he do in that case? Should he call for her?

Reborn’s thoughts were interrupted by Tsuna’s passionate speech. “You’re wrong Yamamoto! I have never put an effort into anything I’ve done. What I said… it was too irresponsible of me. I am just a pathetic person who has nothing in this world, unlike you. Saying you would die after what you cherished the most is no longer in your reach, those thoughts, I’ve never had them. So I’m envious. All I have are regrets, that’s why, I can’t understand you. I’m sorry.” Tsuna dejectedly turned away to leave. He didn’t care if those words were heard by everybody. Even Sasagawa Kyoko heard them. Heh, he was really pathetic.

“Wait, Tsuna.”

Eh?

EH?

EHHH?!

For so long Tsuna had been the pig teammate so he never thought Yamamoto could be like that too. Was he going to die like that? No, no, no. He didn’t want to die! Someone! Something! From the deep recesses of his body, that familiar feeling was born though it seemed to have stopped. Why? Tsuna questioned. If he want’s wrong, that was… _Bang!_ He couldn’t think any longer when a bullet was shot towards his forehead and the familiar feeling gushed.

“As I thought, you are amazing Tsuna.” From below, the two could hear the chatter in the roof and their classmates calling their stunt a joke but the both of them knew it was no joke. They would have died if Tsuna hadn’t saved them. Strangely, at that moment, Yamamoto felt oddly calm; something filled his body and his mind started to work at a frightening speed. However, before he could move himself, Tsuna had already saved them. “With Dying Will, huh?” He whispered recalling the time Tsuna caught him, that’s what he said. ‘Save my friend Yamamoto with my Dying Will’.

“Ah? You said something?” Tsuna asked after coming out from his daze. That feeling…

“No. Thank you.” Yamamoto said with a wide smile.

Reborn smiled at the two teenagers from afar. _Second subordinate, no, second Guardian acquired._ He had gotten a surprise when Yamamoto activated his Flames then and there and somewhat Harmonized with Tsuna while the latter was in his Dying Will mode. Not even Gokudera had done that. Though, the most surprising was Tsuna. Reborn had hesitated shooting his first bullet back then as he saw Tsuna’s eyes glowing with an orange hue. The orange color of Sky Flames. He had thought that Tsuna would use his Flames on his own accord but it seemed they disappeared the next moment making Reborn shoot. Like that, Reborn confirmed that Tsuna’s Flames were weird.

For the next couple of days, he was immersed thinking of all the cases of a person having problems with their Flames but there was nothing like Tsuna’s case. Or at least, nothing he had heard of or seen. In the end, should he call for her to take a look? He had been too deep in thought that his feet subconsciously took him to a coffee shop yet he had forgotten his wallet. More like, even with wallet he wouldn’t be able to buy a coffee. He sighed. After the Peverell Castle’s renovation and refurbishing was over, his money had become non-existent and he officially had to depend on his Wife.

So, the Greatest Hitman in the World, received a monthly allowance just like his kids. And he was expecting his allowance to arrive soon as he had forgotten to ask for more money from his Wife. After all, it was her who was in charge of the finances.

Well, he was already on the shop so, “I forgot my wallet, give me an espresso on credit.”

“Oh, where are your Daddy and Mommy? Do you want me to call the police if you are lost?” It had been some time since someone treated him as a baby. The Mafia World knew him so nobody thought of him as a baby and in his house he was either ‘Dad’ or ‘Mr.Reborn’, like how the other kids called him. He had been spoiled.

Anyway, he wouldn’t be a Hitman and Mafioso if he didn’t act like one. “Try calling the police and blood will flow.” He threatened whipping out his gun. But as always, he wasn’t taken seriously. He inwardly lamented the fact he couldn’t go to his normal body without Iolanthe’s help.

“I’ll pay for him.”

Reborn turned to see Sasagawa Kyoko standing beside him. The girl was cute; not as much as his daughters but compared to the other girls in Tsuna’s class, she was in the top. Tsuna really went in for the kill with Kyoko, very Mafia style wanting to get the most beautiful woman as a partner. Reborn was lucky he got the prettiest of all as a Wife. Either way, perhaps he should help Tsuna this once. The boy had too many regrets already and adding an unsuccessful love life was too depressing. He had to pay the girl, too.

Though, Tsuna wouldn’t be Tsuna if he didn’t mess up somewhere. Finding him trapped by his suitcase was the worst scenario to meet a girl. It was fortunate only the normal mechanisms activated; if Tsuna had been harboring bad intentions, he would have died due to Iolanthe’s Wards. While getting Tsuna out of the traps, Reborn explained the situation and why Kyoko was in the house.

“But I’m surprised. I never thought the cute boy was Tsuna-kun’s little brother.”

Alright, Reborn retracted his words. The girl was no good. Only his Wife called him cute while in that form. It seemed Reborn had gotten sentimental. Sasagawa Kyoko, if looked closely, looked like another Sawada Nana. Too scattered-brained. If a Mafia Boss had a partner like that, it would only become a weakness. Unless Tsuna wanted to keep her hidden and in the dark as to what he would do. That didn’t set well with Reborn. Tsuna was already a softie, so he needed someone who had more character and was able to understand what he did.

With a decision made, Reborn decided to put lines between Kyoko and Tsuna. “I’m not his little brother, I’m his home tu-”

“Cousin! He is my cousin!” Oh, Tsuna was getting more courageous, that was good. What wasn’t good was taking liberties with him. The only ones able to do that were his Wife and kids and even with them he had his limit. So, Tsuna had chosen the wrong person to mess with. “I… I’m...cho..king...” That will teach the brat that Hitmen souldn’t be taken lightly, no matter if he was his home tutor and was lenient with him. At least he hadn’t killed him.

It was funny, though, to see the meeting of two scattered-brained women. One was good at making fun of her own son and the other seemed like a pushover. Tsuna was no match for the two and tried too hard to explain himself. That was not what a Mafia Boss should be like. Confidence was a must yet trying to keep everybody happy was unrealistic and that is what Tsuna wanted to do. Perhaps it was time for Reborn to rectify that. First things, first.

_Bang!_

“Reborn!!” Tsuna yelled pale faced, his body trembling.

“I shot her with the Dying Will bullet.” Reborn said. He wanted to make sure of things before allowing Tsuna’s continuous interaction with Sasagawa Kyoko. He never thought it would really work as Kyoko went to harass Nana about retracting her words. “It looks like she doesn’t like being called your girlfriend.” It could have been due to another thing but Reborn decided to keep it safe.

Tsuna’s relief at seeing Kyoko safe and sound was short-lived hearing Reborn’s words and how Kyoko was about to beat his Mom. No matter how naive and careless his Mom was, she was the only person that stayed by his side. Even if she called him no-good Tsuna, she still hoped the best for him; his Mom only wanted him to be happy. _I’m sorry, Kyoko-chan._ As Tsuna got ready to do something to separate the two, Reborn had already acted and hit Kyoko with a hammer forcing the bullet out of her head.

Hesitating a second, Tsuna went to help. “Mom! Are you ok?” Noticing she was only unconscious, Tsuna sighed relieved. He glanced as Reborn covered Kyoko’s half-naked body and sighed again.

“Being hit with the 1 ton hammer, Kyoko will think the Dying Will mode was just a dream.” Reborn explained. Tsuna had no strength to say anything to the baby and just nodded. He had seen the real Kyoko either way, so… it was time to give up. Although short-lived, it was good to like someone.

But…

“I can’t stay alive! She dislikes me so much!” He cried to his pillow. He still had feelings and he was rejected in such a way. Nobody could blame him if he was heartbroken! His crying was cut short when he heard tapping in the window. “An owl?” An owl was indeed tapping the window. Reborn opened the window and it flew in to land on the desk. Tsuna noticed how Reborn was untying a letter from the owl. “What’s that?”

“My allowance.” Reborn replied offhandedly. Tsuna wanted to laugh. _Reborn was a kid after all,_ he even thought but his eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he saw the thick stack of bills. Just, how much money a baby needed?! Though the most surprising was the fact the letter inside the envelope moved, floated in the air and started to talk… in English.

“My dear, Renato. How’s your job going? I hope you aren’t being too harsh on your student, he is still a kid after all. Talking about kids, Farid took your new mission pretty well and promised to send you letters even more often. I hope you reply to each and every letter she sends. Teddy convinced himself you have gone to train to become even more powerful so you can teach him even more cool moves. I don’t know since when he has started worshipping you as your most loyal fan. But I was relieved they didn’t kick up a fuss unlike Adhara. She refuses to believe you won’t come home in a while so she has been ignoring me from the day I told the kids the news. I don’t know how she will react when you truly don’t come back but I will think up of something. Perhaps seeing the other kids practicing Quidditch improves her mood. You know how enthusiastic she is with the sport. Don’t worry about anything here and finish your job as soon as possible. I love you, take care.”

Reborn gently took the letter and put it in his suitcase together with the hundreds of letters he had received either from Iolanthe or Farid throughout the years he had been in missions. He thought he would be fine with not returning for the month but it seemed he had grown too attached to his Family. He missed them. That feeling…

It was bittersweet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way!  
> My birthday is this month so I'm trying to do something special. I am still thinking what to do. Is there something you would like? Hearing from you makes me happy so I am thinking about about doing this:
> 
> -An update of the Rainbow series.  
> -A game to give the right of a maximum spoiler to a reader (if the reader wants)  
> -A game to give a reader a one-shot.  
> -The release of the chapters of a fic I have ongoing too or...  
> -the release of the first chapters of all the fics I am writing (they are a lot) 
> 
> What do you think? Or would you like me to focus solely in the Rainbow series and forget about the other fics? My other fics are HP ones, HPxNaruto, One Piece, HPxMarvel and The Fifth Element :D


	47. One after the other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna keeps involving himself in the World of the Mafia, learning about Dying Will Flames and testing subordinates to enter the Famiglia. At the end, he just wants to have friends and forget all about being a Mafia Boss.
> 
> Troubles come to Reborn in the form of Bianchi and he receives news from his daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My birthday is in two weeks and I still have no idea what I'm going to do. Right now, I'm stuck babysitting my nephew and I barely had the chance to write this chapter. The flow is awful so I will edit it later when I am done babysitting.... I still need to edit the past two chapters too... hehehe
> 
> Thanks to those who commented their suggestions and I will keep them in mind :D 
> 
> On to the chapter! I hope you enjoy it and thank you for reading!
> 
> Edited: 8/21

* * *

 

What Reborn liked about being a Father was the fact he could teach his kids. Be it hand-to-hand combat, improving their abilities, languages, weaponry and even regular subjects, though his expertise was in Math. He had a prize/punishment system whenever he quizzed them and it worked for him. His kids and even the ones from the Castle used it as some sort of ultimate test they had to do to prove they hadn’t wasted all that time learning under Iolanthe and the other teachers. Although he knew nothing about other Magicks, he was always the one who tested the kids at the end of the ‘scholar year’ so they could go to the next level.

It had become a thing and Iolanthe approved of it.

Of course, the punishments were not that harsh considering his penchant for wrecking havoc but the kids would normally try their best to answer correctly. At first, Iolanthe was worried it would create a trauma in the already fragile kids’ minds yet it seemed the kids were more resilient and they even started taking their studies seriously. Or it might have been because the prize was actually a trip to another country.

Iolanthe had taken the standard grading system of Hogwarts and from it the benefits were allocated. Those who had O’s and EE’s in all their subjects could go on the trip. Those who had A’s had to stay at the Castle but free to do whatever they wanted while those who had even a single failing class needed to do summer work. It was a bit strict considering Iolanthe set that kids from seven years old had to start their education. But she never relented because she wanted to make those kids the future of their own communities; to prove people that even if they didn’t have a past, they still had a future, a bright future.

It was working and they had unearthed quite a few geniuses. Like Estelle, Farid’s best friend and Snake Charmer, she was a prodigy at learning languages. There was also Akemi, the daughter of the teacher in charge of Herbology and Runes, Sayuri. Her and her Mom were part of a long line of Shinto Mikos that were born with some sort of energy they called Cores. They worked according to the elements and Akemi had an Earth Core, so she was like a fish in the water with Herbology.

The point was that Reborn loved quizzing others, especially if it was his own pupil.

“The answer is… three?”

_Kaboom!_

Oh yeah, Reborn loved quizzing his pupils. Especially when he could use bombs for it. It had been a while since Dino ran around with a string of bombs tied to his waist while reciting the Italian Constitution.

“I know you can do better than this Tsuna. Just try your best, for your allowance.” Reborn encouraged yet the sadistic smile told Tsuna otherwise.

Though Tsuna admitted he was at fault about the whole matter. After knowing Reborn, a baby, got an allowance a thousand times larger than his, he had asked his Mom to increase his own allowance. His Mom very sweetly told him he would get more if he got better grades in the coming exams. However, allowing Reborn to help him study was his grave mistake. He wasn’t learning much and his body was in pain from all the punishments. Bombs were specially prepared for Math. Tsuna supposed it was better to give up on a better allowance.

The teenager glanced at his tutor who was very seriously reviewing the topics in the book and felt ashamed for a moment. He had decided to put more effort in everything he did but once again he was running away. Reborn, instead, took the matter of raising his grades to heart and was helping him. Staring at the baby, a thought crossed Tsuna’s mind.

“Hey, Reborn-” His question was cut off by a childish voice coming from out the window.

“Die, Reborn!”

Startled, Tsuna turned and noticed a kid with a cow suit pointing a gun at them. Tsuna was about to call for Reborn but the gun seemed to be out of bullets. Sighing in relief, the teenager was about to ask what that kid was doing but the branch the kid was stepping on broke and he fell down. Tsuna looked out the window and noticed the kid was alright. As Tsuna sat inside his room he thought perhaps it was his imagination. Reborn was still reviewing the book and instructing him what he should do for his exam while he was there panicking because of a kid. He must have been too tense about the Mafia stuff that he flustered every time he saw a gun thinking it was someone from the Mafia.

For once, Tsuna was right.

“Long time no see Reborn! It’s me, Lambo!” The door was thrown open and the kid, Lambo, stood there.

“He came in! Reborn, do you know him?” Trying to look calm, Tsuna asked Reborn even though his back was drenched in cold sweat. But once again the Hitman ignored what was going on around him and continued his labor of tutoring Tsuna.

“Don’t ignore me! Today I will really kill you!” Lambo cried out and charged at Reborn with a knife in hand only to be slapped on the head by Reborn and sent flying. Tsuna worried if the kid was hurt or something but seeing him talk rubbish and obnoxiously yelling his presentation saying he came from the Bovino Famiglia and how he met Reborn at a bar, he couldn’t help but sigh in relief. Tsuna filtered the information about the kid coming from a Famiglia, therefore being a Mafioso, and focused on the fact he met Reborn in a bar.

_What were two kids doing in a bar?_

“With the formula from before, solve this.”

On the other hand, Reborn very professionally kept tutoring Tsuna making the teenager wonder what was the relationship between the two kids; if Reborn didn’t really know Lambo. Perhaps he should take a leaf out of Reborn’s book and focus on his studies. That Lambo kid should be a prankster, right? Yet it was pitiful seeing Lambo trying so hard to get Reborn’s attention and crying in the corner when he didn't succeed.

“I borrowed a lot of weapons from the Bovino Famiglia’s Boss!” _Woah, the kid was persistent._ For a second, Tsuna admired him. “Look here! The newest technology of the Bovino Famiglia, the 10 year Bazooka! If you are shot by it you can change for five minutes with your future self! Guaranteed to work!” _He promoted the weapon really well, I’m curious now._ “That should be the real thing, this is only a prototype.” _Which is it, you!?_ “I guess I can only use this...”

Tsuna tried his best to ignore Lambo and his fake marketing but with a glance he noticed there was a hand grenade in the kid’s hands. His fear rose exponentially and wanted to run away but the grenade was directed at Reborn who easily deflected it and sent it back to Lambo who flew out the window together with it. The explosion was too real and Tsuna confirmed he hadn’t imagined it all.

“Are… are you sure you don’t know him?” Tsuna asked Reborn.

“I don’t know him.” Reborn replied with a gloomy voice. Tsuna noticed and wondered what the story between the two was. “Either way, the Bovino Famiglia is small so you don’t have to worry about them. More like, don’t associate with those of lowly rank, it’s for your own good.”

Tsuna didn’t know how to reply to that. He had been told by Reborn that the Vongola Famiglia was really big with thousands upon thousands of subordinates. Added to that were the other Famiglias allied to the Vongola and together made a force to be reckoned with in the Mafia World. Reborn talked so grandly about it that even he, Tsuna, got a bit interested about it though his cowardly disposition always won at the end and he denied with all his might that he wouldn’t become some Mafia Boss.

Especially if he had to bear with the craziness and persistence of a Mafioso wannabe kid. His Mom even forcing him to mediate between Lambo and Reborn to settle down their fight. His Mom’s lack of common sense would one day kill him, he knew. So, stuck with a half-burnt, crying Lambo, Tsuna had no choice but to act as a babysitter. The problem was he knew nothing about taking care of a kid.

“Here, you like candies, right?” Sat by the river bank, Tsuna remembered the Lambo kid liked them from his obnoxious presentation.

Luckily the kid stopped crying but Tsuna would have done without the obnoxious story that came after. “Lambo wants to be the Boss of the Bovino Famiglia and make everybody in the Mafia World bow down to me.” _The Famiglia is small, how are you going to achieve that?_ “But the Boss told me I had to kill the first-class Hitman, Reborn...”

For some reason, Tsuna believed Reborn being a first-class Hitman; as absurd as it was for a baby to be a Hitman. And unbeknownst to him, he took Mafia matters more calmly even if he was afraid of them.

“Hey, how did you meet Reborn?” It was hard meeting someone who knew Reborn.

“I was taken to a bar by my Boss for the first time and I sat beside him in the counter. We spoke a lot and he was very funny, blowing bubbles from his nose.” Lambo recounted.

 _He was sleeping! More like, what’s with your Boss taking you to a bar!?_ Anyway, it was better not to get involved with these Mafia guys. “I’m going home, you should return to yours- Geh! Get off!” No matter how much Tsuna tried, he couldn’t pry the kid off his legs and had no choice but to bring him back to his house and ask Reborn for help. They knew each other, right? Tsuna made a mistake again when all Reborn did during dinner was ignore Lambo and retaliate whenever the kid attacked. He felt some pity for Lambo but the kid brought it all upon himself.

Though Tsuna had the notion that Reborn wasn’t that harsh on Lambo. Or was that his imagination too? The poor kid still never learned and even took out a bazooka… Eh? wasn’t that?

“Goodness, it seems I was brought back by the 10 year Bazooka. Oh, it’s the young Decimo Vongola, long time no see. Thank you for taking care of me when I was a kid, I’m Lambo.”

Tsuna couldn’t take it anymore. There was even time-travel. The cow boy became a dandy-looking guy. However, he seemed reliable, all mature and all… not. The moment he saw Reborn, he attacked him just like his kid self.

“Die, Reborn! Elettrico Cornata!” Electricity flowed out from the guy’s horns impressing and frightening Tsuna. _That’s not normal… it’s just like…_ What was normal was that Reborn could still easily stop and retaliate on Lambo as if nothing and still make the latter cry. That earned Tsuna a scolding from his Mom as she found kid Lambo crying. A Lambo who Tsuna gave up on as he kept attacking Reborn and ending up half-burnt all over.

However, it was surprising to see Lambo recover really quickly, or more like, he never got seriously injured to begin with. Was that…

“Lightning Flames, the toughest of Flames. Makes the person resistant to many injuries.” Reborn explained when Tsuna asked about the matter. “The Mafia is not only a criminal organization, Tsuna. It comprises those who have the power of Dying Will Flames. Lightning has the characteristic of Toughness, Storm Flames of Disintegration, Rain Flames of Tranquility, Sun Flames of Activation, Mist Flames of Construction, Cloud Flames of Propagation and finally, Sky Flames of Harmony. Sky Flames encompass the other Flames, bringing them together. All the Bosses in every Famiglia are Skies, just like you are.”

Tsuna was stunned. _Him, a Sky? What kind of joke that was?_ Then he thought of something. “What about Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto?”

Reborn’s eyes sharpened for a second. He never thought Tsuna would notice something about Gokudera and Yamamoto; if it was just a coincidence, then Reborn had no other choice but to say the truth and discern Tsuna’s reaction from it. “Storm and Rain Flames, respectively.”

Seeing Tsuna’s expression of doom and gloom, Reborn concluded that he didn’t really know what it meant for a Sky to be close to other Flames. Either way, although Reborn had decided on Gokudera and Yamamoto to be Tsuna’s Guardians it didn’t mean they would escape his tests. As Guardians, inexperienced at that, it was more than necessary for them to prove they were worth it of being the Vongola Decimo’s Guardians. Reborn didn’t interfere in Dino’s Guardian selection but he could do it with Tsuna’s. It was part of his job.

“And then, why are we here?” Asked Tsuna almost defeated. He never thought Reborn would be so daring as to enter the school. Oh, well, it was not the first time, anyway. Tsuna had spent his day trying his best to be friendly with Yamamoto and stop thinking about the fact he had Rain Flames. Actually, the Mafia with Dying Will Flames was all an incredible matter to him and had a bit of trouble believing it. Disregarding all that, he felt comfortable like that; being with Yamamoto and Gokudera. A Gokudera who was sullenly looking at Yamamoto as if he was a cheated wife.

“The Family Entrance Test.” Reborn announced.

“Who’s this, Tsuna? Your little brother?” Never had Yamamoto seen such a well-dressed kid. It was funny and interesting.

“Ciaossu! I’m not his little brother. I am Reborn, the Vongola Famiglia’s Hitman.” The Rain vibes in Yamamoto were very high and the Arcobaleno could confirm it with Yamamoto and Tsuna’s conversation. Yamamoto thought it was all a game. A Rain could keep calm in any situation and was the best at reacting to danger so Reborn had high hopes for Yamamoto; even though he was too laid back and almost as scattered brained as Sawada Nana. It didn’t matter, sooner or later he would see the truth. “Tsuna is the Decimo of the Vongola Famiglia. You and Gokudera are part of it, too.”

“Are we, really? Ok, then, let me in the Vongola Famiglia.” Yamamoto casually said carrying Reborn as if he was truly a kid. Meanwhile, the Hitman could feel how Yamamoto was unconsciously releasing his Flames trying to subdue his Sun Flames. The feeling wasn’t uncomfortable and invasive so Reborn didn’t mind those Rain Flames; if they could actually subdue his then that would only bring him shame as the strongest Arcobaleno.

“To enter, you have to pass the test. If you don’t pass it, then you can’t enter. Not passing also means death.” Tsuna shivered. If Reborn said it, then it was real; there was a possibility they could die. Tsuna worried for Yamamoto and Gokudera. Reborn’s methods were not human.

“Haha, this is funny. I like it.” _No, Yamamoto, it’s not funny. There really is the possibility of death._

“You can do it, Juudaime!” Gokudera suddenly cried out. _EH!? I have to do it too?!_

“As the Boss you also have to judge your subordinates, Tsuna. The test is simple, too. You just have to dodge the attacks.” Reborn said as if reading the teenager's thoughts.

“Wait, Reborn!” If he wasn’t mistaken, then it was going to be really dangerous. Yamamoto might really get hurt.

“Knives first.” But his evil tutor wouldn't be evil if he listened to what he had to say.

“Eeek.” _Forget about it, I have to live too!_ Tsuna inwardly cried while dodging the knives his tutor threw at Yamamoto and him. Though, Yamamoto was amazing; he was easily dodging all the attacks. Tsuna was accustomed to being used as a moving target by Reborn yet it was Yamamoto’s first time and he was better at it than Tsuna.

“Next weapon is a bow-gun.” Reborn said standing in front of the two running teenagers. _How did he get there?!_

“Ahahaha, Lambo of the Bovino Famiglia is here!” Unfortunately for Lambo, nobody paid attention when he suddenly appeared, making him cry. His timing was bad, though, two people were running for their lives and the other two Mafiosi didn't care about some Bovino Famiglia. So, to get their attention he took out the new weapon sent by his Boss. “Tada! A missile-launcher!” With that, he added to the difficulty of the test made by Reborn. With the new difficulty, Yamamoto was more determined than ever while poor Tsuna was yelling like a lost child in the wilds. He wanted to call out to Reborn to stop the test but the baby was grinning madly as he fired a sub-machine-gun.

Tsuna and Yamamoto did their best to dodge the bullets while being sent flying by the missiles’ explosions, neither realizing they had subconsciously used their Flames to increase their own speed and not die. Though Yamamoto probably still thought it was all a game. What surprised Reborn was the tacit understanding between the two; they even protected each other when it was needed. It was their first ‘assignment’ together and the teamwork was splendid. As expected of a Sky and his Harmonized Rain. Glancing to his side, Reborn noticed the irritated face of Gokudera.

Gokudera Hayato looked like a troublesome person at first glance but he was extremely loyal. And extremely easy to get jealous. As Yamamoto and Tsuna relied more on each other in the test, the irritation on Gokudera’s face increased. That reminded Reborn of Colonnello and his penchant for competing with him; perhaps Reborn should promote some friendly competition. And so he kicked Gokudera into the fray. 

“Go, show Yamamoto what a true Mafioso does while under attack.”

At first Gokudera didn’t understand why he was kicked but hearing those words, he was enlightened. “Yes, Reborn-san!”

Perhaps Gokudera wouldn’t have been so enthusiastic if he had known Reborn only used him to add Chaos to the testing area. Retaliating with his dynamite, Gokudera did more damage to his peers than trying to help them. At some point, even Lambo from ten years in the future appeared and prepared to attack with his Lightning Flames imbued to the missiles he was launching. It was the final all-in attack together with Reborn’s new weapon: a rocket missile. The dodging Tsuna and Yamamoto turned around in unison feeling the danger and they couldn’t help but gape at what was coming to them.

Gokudera’s misfired dynamite, Reborn’s rocket and Lambo’s electric missiles. They thought they would die even when their bodies moved on their own to try to escape. Yamamoto seemed to have made a breakthrough, his mind was very clear and his body was full of power even if he had been running for a long while. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Tsuna easily keeping up though not as nimbly as him. _Tsuna really is amazing,_ Yamamoto thought. He was so calm in such a situation he had the nerve to look at others when he was also in danger. But thanks to that, he could see how Tsuna tripped incomprehensibly even if he had been running with no problems for so long. Not being able to discern what happened, Yamamoto’s only thought was to help Tsuna.

“That was close.” Yamamoto happily sighed as soon as the ordeal was done.

“I was saved.” Tsuna weakly commented, very relieved. His mind was full of that moment when he tripped. He was actually starting to feel that familiar feeling that he knew were his Flames, Sky Flames; yet as soon as he was going to use them, he felt as if something stopped them making him trip. What actually happened? He had no idea.

“Congratulation, you pass the test. Welcome to the Famiglia.” Reborn said standing before them.

“Good job.” Gokudera smiled while grabbing Yamamoto’s collar. He knew he had messed up a moment ago with the dynamite and was ready to go save Tsuna but Yamamoto beat him to it. Instead of being angry, he was relieved. He wouldn’t be able to bear the thought of hurting his Boss. “Saving the Juudaime is the job of any subordinate and as the right hand man, I welcome you.”

Yamamoto paused for a moment and then slung his arm around Gokudera’s shoulders. “I knew you were a funny guy! But, the position of right hand man is mine. You know it too.”

Gokudera bristled. He had noticed there was something different between Tsuna and Yamamoto. As someone who attended the Mafia Academy, he was aware what that meant. Harmonization. Tsuna and Yamamoto had Harmonized on a basic level. Still, that was better than having no bond like him. So, he really had no right to call himself Tsuna’s right hand man when someone else Harmonized first. However his pride wouldn’t allow it. He had been the first person to acknowledge Sawada Tsunayoshi, the Juudaime, as Boss. Yamamoto came after so the right hand man position should be Gokudera’s.

Tsuna watched helplessly the two fighting like kids calling each other different parts of the body. Storm and Rain; weren’t those linked together? The two coexisted because there was a Sky. But, was it ok if the Sky was a no-good like him?

  


…

  


In a private room in the only and most luxurious restaurant in Perpendicular Alley a couple sat at the table talking in hushed whispers. They had already ordered the dishes and were waiting for them to arrive; at the same time, they were waiting for a few people they had invited. Voices were heard outside the room and the couple stopped talking recognizing one of the voices belonging to one of the people they had been waiting for. The door opened and in came a woman with unruly hair tied in a ponytail. She was dressed in a white dress with purple flowers making her look young and full of energy although her words were pure complaints.

“I thought summer in England was hot but you have to live in Hungary for a while to know what a hot summer is.” She huffed as she sat on one of the chairs, her hand reaching for the pitcher of water.

“It’s good to see you well, Iolanthe.” The woman greeted.

“It’s been a while, Astoria” Iolanthe smiled. “How have you been? Still trying for Malfoy Junior?” Her smile became mischievous instantly. “I heard from Hermione that Draco had been pestered by Lady Malfoy to give her a grandchild already.”

“Don’t remind me.” The man, Draco, groaned. He could still hear his Mother’s nagging though she claimed she was ‘educating’ him to be more efficient while trying to make a kid. It had been mighty uncomfortable and even his Father joined in the conversation, clearly enjoying his son's suffering.

Astoria chuckled then sighed. “It’s too bad my body reacts badly to fertility potions so we could only use the conventional method. If not, I would have been pregnant a long time ago.” Iolanthe nodded. Fertility potions really did wonders. Draco wanted to bury himself in the ground hearing where the women’s conversation was going.

He coughed. “We still need to wait for Lovegood.”

“She’s coming? I thought she was traveling with Rolf enjoying her engagement.” Iolanthe had received a letter from her not long ago announcing her engagement with Rolf Scamander. The wedding date hadn’t been decided but it seemed the couple didn’t care and mentioned they were going to take things slowly.

“They are leaving soon to who knows where. I wouldn’t be surprised if they say they are going to the Antarctic to then end up in Congo.” Draco told her the latest information he got. Just when he was done, the aforementioned couple appeared. After a round of heartfelt hugs and a handshake between the men, they all sat. The food was served not long after and the five started to eat while speaking of what they had been doing.

Everybody in the room knew what Iolanthe had been doing but they still heard with interest as she mentioned the new kids that had arrived and how the already residents were developing. The Quidditch league was starting soon with the older kids participating, meaning those of eleven, twelve and the rare ones of thirteen. They comprised almost half of the population in the Peverell Castle so there were quite a few teams. There were many Magicals so normal brooms were common, the issue were the brooms for the other children. The Charms in the brooms didn’t work with their own Magick so new ones had to be made.

Or more like invented.

Together with Professor Flitwick, Iolanthe had spent the whole Winter Holidays at the beginning of the year creating a new set of Charms that would allow those with different Magicks to fly on brooms and play Quidditch. Many tests were done using old brooms until they discovered the correct set of Charms and Runes to help the brooms channel a different type of Magick and make them fly. Professor Flitwick was impressed by the level of creativity and daring in Iolanthe’s mind to create those brooms but more than anything he was touched because she named those brooms after him, The Flitwick.

Of course she did it because without his help she would still be struggling on what Charms and set of Runes to use.

Another piece of good news was that they finally discovered what kind of Magick little Lisa, the one and only kid Reborn brought back from a job in Norway, had. She was nine back when she arrived at the Peverell Castle. For almost three years she had been idle as Iolanthe had no idea what kind of Magick she possessed; Lisa could feel Wards, know who had Magick and was also adept at Runes even she if didn’t know how to actually activate them as her Magick was incompatible. There was also that power she had in her voice whenever she sung. All in all, it was very confusing; not even their Seer, Tariq, could discern anything.

Until a few weeks before when a traveling man told them Lisa was a Spiritual Healer. The man, who was also a Spiritual Healer too, taught them a bit about it. Basically, Spiritual Healers were those who were in complete balance with their everything: mind, heart, body, soul. And they could help others achieve the same. Spiritual Healers were very rare and most hid themselves. Why? Because Spiritual Healers were naturals at Soul Magic. The belief was that they could manipulate other people’s Soul for their nefarious purposes. It had a bit of truth as there were a couple of Spiritual Healers who took that path.

Yet the real purpose of a Spiritual Healers was as the name suggested, being a Healer.

Their teachings were based on the fact that all illnesses were due to an imbalance in the body, so they help the person recover that balance. As such, Spiritual Healers were not only physical doctors in charge of curing superficial wounds but also worked with Emotional Healing, Mental Healing and Soul Healing. They were a complete set. Their powers derived from their balance and the use of medical herbs. Lisa’s power of balance was of course her voice. Whenever she talked, the world would quiet down just to hear her talk. The traveling man told them she was a powerful Spiritual Healer and that she needed training as soon as possible as her words could either cure or destroy a person.

Iolanthe had sweated after hearing that. It was fortunate the girl was very pleasant despite the ordeal she went through before Reborn found her. According to him, her small family had been attacked by a pack of wolves. Her family was full of hunters yet they still succumbed to the hungry pack until only she remained, fighting with clenched teeth and a cub in hand. She wildly swung it around not allowing any wolf to get closer and only stopped when Reborn took her away from the pack. Reborn quietly confessed to Iolanthe that he saved her because the scene reminded him of the time Farid fought with the wolf together with Teddy.

Iolanthe knew he truly regretted not having helped, so in a way he was trying to redeem himself for his failure with little Lisa. Iolanthe was glad because it meant her Husband was not only good at killing people but at saving them too. No matter how messed up the reason, he still saved a life.

“How do you know the man was not lying to you? Is he even reliable and able to teach Lisa?” Draco asked with skepticism.

“Of course he is reliable, I made sure of it.” Iolanthe threw him a disdainful glance.

“You used Legilimency on him?” Draco’s eyebrow rose.

“And he didn’t even notice.” Iolanthe replied with pride. “Either way, he is only staying to teach Lisa the basics. He said each Spiritual Healer found their own way depending on their abilities so he is more like a guide instead of a teacher. If she is interested in true Healing then she can start an apprenticeship with Sayuri in Herbology to learn about medical plants. She can be a singer for all I care with her voice.”

The others thought that wouldn’t be appropriate with the power her voice had.

“Have kids been adopted?” Astoria suddenly asked. After having her own kid, she was very interested in adopting one, too, seeing having one of her own was too difficult.

Iolanthe froze at the question. A kid had actually been adopted, a pre-teen, around two years ago only to find that same kid roaming the streets of Italy with ragged clothes, a dirty and wounded body, and a fierce expression on his face.

She had gone out with Skull to some party of his Famiglia because nobody believed him he had a cousin who was a Witch. He had begged her to attend till his voice turned hoarse until she accepted. It had to be said that the party was really entertaining; even the Vindice attended if only to make sure Iolanthe didn’t decimate the Carcassa Famiglia. It was the most elegant party the Carcassa Famiglia had thrown with how polite the members were with the Vindice around. Needless to say, Skull ended up with an inflated ego that Iolanthe regretted accompanying him.

Though, if it wasn’t because of that party she wouldn’t have found that kid, who had Mist Flames, in the streets.

Thanks to a gentle application of Legilimency, she discovered he had been experimented on until he managed to escape from some Estraneo Famiglia. His memories were wiped and only a few images remained in his mind. It seemed he had been sold by the couple that adopted him to this Famiglia. Iolanthe had exploded then and there and demanded Skull to tell her everything about this Estraneo Famiglia. The Arcobaleno had been serious for once in his life and gravely recounted what he knew. If it wasn’t because the Vindice had stopped her, she would have torn down that Famiglia until only dust remained.

It was not surprising, though. The moment Iolanthe started housing Flames users the Vindice were a constant in her life to prevent her from interfering with the Mafia World as she promised.

Seeing her furious countenance, Skull was reminded how special the kids she was raising in the Peverell Castle were to her; she even treated himelf like a little brother and nagged him endlessly about his clothes. After her livid performance which included her scolding the Vindice for stopping her as soon as she discovered what happened to that kid, he had begun to investigate the Estraneo Famiglia in depth and sent all the information to her.

Not even a few days after she returned to the Castle with the kid, he had disappeared. From that day on, she prohibited adoptions. She had been totally shaken by that only adoption experience that she refused to let any other kid go through the same. She knew not all the families were like that couple who sold him but she didn’t want to risk it. Even if she had to raise every single kid that entered the Peverell Castle, she would never let them suffer. Not again.

Hearing the white washed story from Iolanthe as she couldn’t mention any details involving the Mafia, the others were horrified and could somehow understand how Iolanthe must have felt. It had been months and she was still looking for that kid.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.” Draco knew that if Iolanthe vowed she would raise all the kids she was housing then she would do it. It was worrisome, too, considering Iolanthe tended to forget about her own health to take care of others.

“Now more than ever.” Luna suddenly added. “Although your son is very healthy, some peace wouldn’t hurt.”

The room fell silent. “I… I don’t have a...” Iolanthe trailed off noticing the expression on Luna’s face. Her hand shakily moved towards her stomach. No wonder she had gained weight lately. It was because her body was once again carrying a baby. “It’s a boy?” She asked in a whisper.

“It is. I thought we were meeting here because we were celebrating a double pregnancy.” Luna went back to her airy self. Iolanthe turned to look at Astoria who was looking back at her, their faces had an expression of shock.

“Congratulations!” The two said at the same time only to pause and then laugh. The two descended into their own pregnant world sharing experiences about their short pregnancy stage. Astoria didn’t have many symptoms, just some nausea and she had been avoiding some food. With a suspicion in her heart, she did the test and it came back positive. She had been very ecstatic that she asked for a leave of absence from work only to settle down her mood.

Iolanthe on the contrary hadn’t felt anything, leading her to ignore the fact she had been pregnant. She still couldn’t believe she had hit the jackpot with only one hour of trying. And it was a boy to boost.

“Luna...” Rolf quietly called his fiancee. The two women in front looked very happy knowing they were going to be Mothers but Luna had already fallen behind.

“I don’t want kids now, Rolf. I first want to enjoy your company.” Her words silenced him but immensely pleased him. She was right. If they started having kids, then they would have to be forced to stay at home and not go on trips like the one they were planning to make to China. Luna had been very supportive of him and his dream to make a new Creatures book like the one his grandpa had made. She even volunteered to accompany him wherever he wanted to go. Rolf knew he had made the right choice by pursuing Luna.

His hand silently grabbed hers under the table and their fingers tacitly intertwined.

  


…

  


Contrary to the jolly atmosphere back in England, Reborn had been tense that day since the moment he got the latest intel from his bug pals. Bianchi was in town.

She was a Hitman like him though she specialized in poison. He almost died in that mission he did together with her due to her enthusiasm towards him as the contract deemed his laissez faire attitude towards Bianchi as cheating even if he never let her touch him and acted accordingly almost scattering his soul. He almost died when he went back home, too. He was forced to his adult form by Iolanthe and knelt before her for almost the six hours the transformation lasted while he explained over and over again that nothing happened between Bianchi and him.

With the contract acting, of course she would notice thanks to their 'Harmonized' state.

To prove his innocence he even willingly became her rag doll with which she vented her anger throwing Spell after Spell. His arm would have been blown up by a Bombarda if it wasn’t because of his Flames. For a moment he believed she would kill him yet the next second, she was on him reciting this Spell and pouring that potion to heal him while crying, apologizing and scolding him. It was an ugly image she presented but Reborn always thought she looked beautiful in love. After all, she wouldn’t be mad to that point if she didn’t love him, right?

Her vehement confessions that he was hers and that she would kill whoever approached him also clued him on the fact she was jealous. Their fight could have had a beautiful ending if it wasn’t because he was sent to sleep in the other side of the building, in the boys section, for the whole week he had free. He had vowed since that day to never work with women and to also keep his distance from Bianchi as he was aware she had feelings for him. The marriage contract would retaliate on him and that would alert Iolanthe; he didn’t want to be sent to the boys’ sleeping quarters again, thank you very much.

Tsuna noticed the change in Reborn and wondered what he was thinking. As he opened his mouth to ask, the doorbell rang. A pretty woman with a pizza in hands stood by the door. He thought maybe the woman was mistaken in the delivery until a pungent smell reached his nose, his throat clogged, his eyes felt like they were burning and he was extremely dizzy. The feeling lasted for a few second before that horrible smell that came from the pizza disappeared as the pizza flew away thanks to Reborn’s sublime shooting.

“Ciaossu, Bianchi.” Reborn greeted. He still maintained his gentlemanly manners while greeting her but then ignored her existence. “Come, Tsuna. I was planning to teach you how to gather information.”

“Reborn!” Bianchi called out. “Come back with me, Reborn. Let’s work together again.” Her voice was very soft and pitiful but Reborn remained unmoved. For once he though being popular was not good. Seeing his indifferent face, Bianchi pursed her lips but didn't give up. From the moment she saw him in Mafia Land handsomely singing, she knew he was the one. She even schemed to land the job of partner with him in that specific mission they did together. Yet no matter what she did, Reborn never once glanced at her. Of course she completly disregarded the rumors Reborn was married or that so called 'fiancee' of his. If it wasn't because she never discovered where that woman lived perhaps Reborn would have already been freed from her and moved on towards the next woman, Bianchi herself. Taking notice of the brat panting on the floor looking at her with caution, a thought appeared in her mind. “Is it because of this brat that you won’t return to me?”

Reborn wanted very much to say he was married and had kids but he didn’t want to create trouble for his family and readily put all the blame on Tsuna. “I have to raise Tsuna to be the next Vongola Head, I can’t return.” It had been a few months and he really missed his Family yet he truly couldn't return.

“So, if the young Tenth suddenly died, you would return to me?” Reborn inwardly sighed at the deluded expression on her face. It didn't bode well for Tsuna as the woman eerily smiled and left but he didn't mind. Though he also wouldn't let anything to happen to Tsuna.

Reborn luckily didn’t mention Iolanthe or the kids; who knows what would happen to them if he did. He wasn’t that worried but with him away from his Wife, the least he wanted was to bother her as she was patiently waiting for him to return. He had made great progress with Tsuna and his Flames -which seemed to have a problem, he just didn’t know what kind. If things went as smoothly as they were, then he would be done teaching Tsuna in a year. However, his plan to keep troubles away from his family crumbled when he received a very enthusiastic letter from his daughter, Farid.

“ _ **Dad! Guess what!? I can Charm the letters so they can speak to you! Can you hear me? Can you? I miss you very much Dad. Training is not the same without you. Last month Xanxus came for the monthly training to teach the kids with Flames. He bullied me a lot saying I was weak and that he could beat me anytime. I taught him a thing or two and he was pranked a lot with Teddy’s help. Aren’t we awesome? He still doesn’t know how he sneak on him and we still secretly laugh at him. If only he knew we use Mom’s Invisibility Cloak! Do you think we should tell him? If only to see his infuriated face.”**_

“ _ **Teddy still thinks you will return as a Master of something with how long you have been gone and Adhara keeps ignoring Mom because you haven’t returned. Though, Mom leaves her be as she doesn’t look that affected. She is only reminded of you whenever she sees Mom. By the way, Mom is pregnant! She says it’s a boy. Are you ok with that Dad? Mom looked as if she had won the lotto and decided that everybody would go on the end of the year trip. Of course the babies cannot go but almost half the Castle is going to… guess where? Japan! I hope to see you there! I love you and miss you, Dad!”**_

The only thought in Reborn’s mind after hearing his daughter was: _I am fucked up_.


	48. Visits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With trouble averted as Bianchi left, peace was restored yet not for long when Tsuna opens the door to unexpected visits. 
> 
> Reborn asks Iolanthe for help regarding Tsuna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was written two days ago but I wanted to post an edited chapter. Though if there are still errors, forgive me. 
> 
> I never expected you would react strongly to Adhara's behavior. Sincerely, I don't think she hates Iolanthe. As an ignorant toddler, she doesn't understand much. She can only associate the fact her Dad is not coming back because Iolanthe said so. At most she resents her like a kid throwing a tantrum. Iolanthe will rectify that when she knows how. After all, she is a newbie Mom too even if she tries her best. 
> 
> Also, at first, I didn't intend for the Mist kid to be Mukuro last chapter. I just wanted Iolanthe to know about the Estraneo Famiglia but you unexpectedly gave me a reason for a plot detail with the Kokuyo Arc. Thanks!
> 
> The visit is short but I hope you enjoy it, same as the whole chapter. You finally see the differences in the story? xD 
> 
> Thanks a lot of reading!

* * *

 

Tsuna noticed that since Reborn received that letter with the strange hissing sounds, the latter had been somewhat tense. Reborn always gave a feeling that he knew what he was doing and what was going on but it had been a few days since he was distracted and looking everywhere. Furthermore, Reborn had been actively avoiding Bianchi and Tsuna had to stop him countless times from actually murdering the woman whenever she got too close. The teenager got beaten up for his effort and finally got an ultimatum.

“Your first mission as a Mafia Boss is to get rid of her.” Reborn had said before disappearing to who knows where.

For his part, Tsuna still didn’t know why his Mom let a woman who could only cook poison in the house. It even looked as if Bianchi was living with them. And thinking it through, the fact there were always toxic fumes around the house due to her cooking guaranteed an excuse to throw her out. However, Tsuna couldn’t even get close to her before getting sick due to the poison. He was basically useless against her and couldn’t do much which also earned him a slap on the head from his tutor every time he reported his failure.

If having to face her in his house was not that much trouble, encountering her in school was a nightmare. She not only put himself in danger but his classmates too with her poisonous food which he did his best to counter, even if it was with Reborn and the Dying Will bullet’s help. He embarrassed himself again in front of his peers and… well, he had vowed to forget about Sasagawa Kyoko as he realized it was impossible between them. Either way, it had been a few days, the summer vacation was around the corner and Bianchi had mysteriously left his house, peace was finally restored.

Though, he did discovered Bianchi was Gokudera’s half sister who had to suffer her poison cooking at a young age and created a trauma on him.

 _Well,_ Tsuna thought, _one step at a time._

“Why don’t you really want Bianchi in the house?” Asked Tsuna on the way to school in the morning.

“She will put me in trouble with my Wife.” Reborn honestly replied. _Geh, again with the Wife;_ Tsuna didn’t know if it was true or not. Was that Wife a baby like him? Was that the so called puppy-love?

“Then… why don’t you talk with her to leave you alone?” The teenager reasoned.

“She won’t listen and I don’t want to create trouble to my Family.”

Tsuna was not sure about that Wife and children story Reborn spun off but he did understand about not troubling others. It was a relief to him that no matter how no-good he was, his Mom never suffered from it. As he didn’t have friend before, it didn’t matter much and his classmates only took advantage of his uselessness. Gokudera and Yamamoto didn’t seem to mind how useless he was and always said they wanted to spend time with him. So yeah, he understood not wanting to trouble others as he also held special people in his heart.

“Hello…!” A girl’s voice interrupted Tsuna’s thoughts only to find the girl awkwardly walking on the fence and facing Reborn. A Reborn who immediately and inconspicuously took three steps back. It seemed he was hell bent on avoiding each and every girl or woman he found. Even his Mom was included in the list. Was that baby Wife really that scary?

“Ciaossu.” Reborn knew of the girl. She hadbeen stalking him for a while. He thought she was an assassin at first but then he realized she was just a mere schoolgirl with a liking to kids; which he unfortunately currently was.

“I’m Miura Haru. Can… can we be friends?” Tsuna was sure the girl was a creep. She was even panting and blushing just from seeing a baby. Was shea so famous pedophile?

“No.” Reborn succinctly replied. He still had enough with Bianchi, he didn’t want to add another one. For her part, Haru felt she had been dealt a heavy blow but she didn’t give up.

“I… then, can you… give me a hug like this?” She requested gesturing how she would like her hug. Tsuna was cold sweating. _That escalated too quickly, hey! Read the mood!_ Even he took a step away from her. She was too creepy.

“If you touch me, I’ll kill you.” Heck, if a woman dared to put their paws on him, he would kill the offender before he died sweetly by his Wife’s hands. “As a Hitman, I am already giving you a chance to leave unscathed.”

Tsuna startled. Was it alright to say that to a girl like this? No matter how creepy. Tsuna had been taught that the Mafia World was not for everybody to know; there were the Mafiosi and the civilians who knew nothing about the Mafia World. He was taken out of his musings when he swiftly caught a hand that was directed at his face. For a split second he wasn’t sure how he did that but he had no time to think about it when he was viciously scolded by the creepy girl about teaching bad things and being a bad influence to poor ‘Reborn-chan’. Tsuna only felt even more creeped out when he realized the girl even knew about Reborn’s name and took another step away from her while also letting her go.

The girl continued to scold, Tsuna wanted to get away from her and Reborn was just standing by the side watching the show. The teenager knew he had to do something.

“Listen, I don’t know what your crazy mind is thinking but please get away from us. You are scaring the neighbors with your howling screams about delusional things.” He didn’t have to be gentle with screaming creeps, right? He only got resentment from the girl who stomped away clearly realizing she was creating a scene in the neighborhood. Either way, Tsuna was relieved he successfully drove her away. Though, he should have guessed it wouldn’t have been that easy when he found her the following day wearing creepy clothes.

“I’ve thought a lot the previous night.” Oh God, he didn’t want to hear. “Fight me. The one who wins will have the right to take care of Reborn-chan.” He definitely didn’t want to hear. Maybe if he left quickly she would forget about it. The armor she was wearing looked heavy, after all. Not. She was very quick swinging that hockey stick and all he could do was dodge. She was creepy and crazy but Tsuna didn’t think she herself noticed her behavior so he felt a bit of pity.

“Juudaime!” Oh, that was a voice that brought trouble. Tsuna glanced back and he saw Gokudera running towards him. “Don’t worry! I’ll get rid of the assassin for you!” Yeah, he was trouble. More so when he threw his dynamite without letting Tsuna explain, making the Haru girl fly away and fall down to a river.

“She’s trouble but we have to save her.” Reborn said, appearing from who knows where.

“No, Reborn-chan! This is not a river you can swim in!” The drowning Haru managed to yell.

Reborn was very annoyed. “We should better kill her.” He muttered.

 _That’s too much, you!_ “I will save her,” said Tsuna reluctantly. It was his fault she ended up there anyway. He didn’t know how to swim but he had to try, hopefully they both wouldn’t drown. Though, deep down he expected Gokudera to volunteer but all Tsuna got was a kick into the river and a bullet from his tutor.

He was relieved he could swim thanks to the Dying Will Bullet though he would have been better without Haru’s transferred affection. He didn’t want such a creepy girl infatuated with him!

However, after that episode, she fortunately didn’t appear before him for days. He was happy about the situation if it wasn’t because he had to attend school during summer vacation due to his bad grades. He also didn’t get the raise in his allowance. Classes and homework and exams! After everything he had been through the previous couple of months he just wanted to rest that summer. The only good thing about it was that for the first time he wasn’t alone in those boring classes.

“Tsuna! Let’s do the homework together. It should be faster than doing it alone, right?” Yamamoto, Tsuna’s extra-class buddy, said. Although he was athletic, he was below average with his grades. Tsuna didn’t want to feel good about it but he was still happy he had a friend with him.

“So, where do you want to do the homework?” Tsuna was merely being polite. Of course, he didn’t want to…

“Of course, at your house, Tsuna.” Said teenager froze.

“Hey, Reborn! Don’t decide things without consulting me. More like, what are you doing at school?!” Tsuna immediately complained.

“I’m your home tutor, of course I can decide.” Reborn replied nonchalantly. Tsuna had noticed the Hitman didn’t look so tense anymore. And he hadn’t received any more strange letters brought from owls so Tsuna didn’t know what had happened, if everything was finally fine.

“Haha, Tsuna, you have an amazing home tutor!” Yamamoto praised while lifting Reborn the way he always did thinking the latter was truly a kid. “Look at my homework and tell me if it’s good. I will treat you to snacks later.”

Tsuna was stunned by Yamamoto’s carefree attitude. Even if he treated everything as a joke, he shouldn’t be that careless right? Reborn was an assassin, after all… Never mind. Reborn was seriously taking a look at Yamamoto’s homework. Though, Reborn couldn’t help it. He had also been tutoring his kids for three years and his prize were always snacks made by Farid. He was weak against snacks due to habit. The snacks habit was better than his habit for naps, though. He had vowed to never take naps no matter how much his body asked him for one, but since he had kids napping also became a habit that he still hadn’t outgrown even while tutoring Tsuna.

“I can teach you but you will first try to do your homework on your own before I try to tutor you.” It was his way to tutor; let them try first and if they kept failing, he would intervene. If they kept failing even with guidance, then punishment ensued.

“But why is Gokudera-kun here?!” Tsuna asked when he saw Yamamoto and Gokudera on his front door that afternoon.

“Well, Gokudera knows a lot, so I thought it would be easier with him around.” Yamamoto explained which please Gokudera immensely. Only then was Tsuna reminded that although Gokudera looked like a troublesome person, he was good at studying. He would be great help! Though… “You are just reading from the textbook.” Yamamoto remarked after an hour.

“You! Don’t you underestimate me! Besides, everything is in the book! You baseball maniac, it must be because of you that the Juudaime doesn’t read his books and gets bad grades!” Gokudera defended himself. Yet it would have been better if he didn’t mention Tsuna. A Tsuna who was drowning in guilt as it was his own fault for not reading his books; in fact, they looked almost new from seldom use.

“Now, now, don’t yell. I was able to do my homework with your help, though.” Yamamoto tried to appease the raging Gokudera who snatched the former’s homework to check it. His expression was self-explanatory; Yamamoto really finished it well. Tsuna was envious. It looked like Yamamoto was able to get good grades if he just studied a bit more contrary to him who always did bad no matter what. “Though, question 7 is really difficult.”

In hindsight, Tsuna thought it would have been better to just ask Reborn about that question instead of going through all that trouble with Haru, who also got into his house as if nothing, with Bianchi who had recently returned and gave Gokudera a stomachache and even Haru’s dad who was actually a Math teacher who recognized Reborn as some genius mathematician Dr. Boren. All in all, the answer was in the napping Reborn. Good news was that Tsuna and Yamamoto were able to finish their homework.

With his homework done, Tsuna thought he would finally enjoy his summer vacation but that wouldn’t be when he received four different visits in his house.

It all began when Lambo was sent flying away from a rocket after he tried to attack Reborn and failed. The teenager was getting used to the absurd life he was living after Reborn arrived to his house. He sometimes wondered what kind of Family he had for him to be so evil and intense. Reborn sometimes mentioned his Family but it was all irrelevant information like his Wife was like this, his kids once did that. Although Tsuna didn’t believe Reborn actually had a Wife, he was still curious about this ‘Wife’. _The baby Wife_ , he though with a chuckle.

_BOOM!_

“Hey! Stop using bombs! You will bother the neighbors!” Tsuna came out of the house as soon as he heard the bombs going off. He was sure it was Lambo again trying to attack Reborn but once again failing, miserably. What he didn’t expect was Bianchi relaxing on his front yard and sunbathing. “Look, someone already came to complain!” He pointed out to another teenager who was looking at everything that was happening in the house with a shocked expression.

“No, I… Lambo...” The poor guy stuttered not knowing what to do or say before such random craziness going on in the house.

“Oh, you came for Lambo?” Tsuna asked surprised. Since when the cow brat had friends? “I guess he...” His words were cut off when Lambo used the ten-year bazooka and swapped with his adult self, or teen self. Tsuna felt a headache start forming; how was he going to explain that to his neighbor? More like, how was he going to explain a woman chasing a guy while firing a gun? In the end, Tsuna gave up and just asked the other teen to forgive the noise and that he would something about it.

The poor guy, Irie Shoichi said his name was, looked very nervous and on the verge of a breakdown while he left. Tsuna thought it was weird the guy didn’t complain about anything but left it at that. His visit wasn’t as surprising as the one that arrived almost at night that same day.

The moment Tsuna opened the door, he thought he was dreaming and even rubbed his eyes to make sure it wasn’t an illusion. There were three kids standing before his door. The older one looked very exotic with her foreign clothes, light brown skin and honey eyes; she also had some impressive jewelry adorning her head. The boy looked very proper with a button down shirt, trousers, polished shoes and a tie if it wasn’t because his hair was turquoise. He did look gentle though. The youngest girl actually sent a shiver down his spine, she looked somewhat like Reborn.

“Uh, may I help you?” He asked. The older girl rummaged through the little bag she was carrying and took out a notepad, she then scribbled on it to then hand it to Tsuna.

_Good afternoon, my name is Farid and these are my siblings Teddy and Adhara. We came to look for our Dad who Mom said we could find here._

She wrote leaving a stunned Tsuna. They must have made a mistake, right? There was no man in his house. He suddenly felt he had stepped into some nefarious gossip from one of his neighbors and didn’t want to get involved, though he also couldn’t leave them like that. “Uh, what is your Dad’s name?” Tsuna was also surprised and a bit puzzled as to the older girl being able to understand yet not speak Japanese and had to rely on the notepad. Her siblings were well-behaved, too. Not once did they move or fuss around unlike that Lambo who only brought trouble to him.

However the three kids did bring trouble to Tsuna when he next read what the girl wrote.

_Reborn_

Tsuna thought it was a lie or some made up story Reborn had said just to mess up with him. Yet he was forced to somewhat believe when the three kids enthusiastically and effusively greeted Reborn. However, instead of a Dad, Reborn looked more like their sibling with his baby body. For some reason, Tsuna felt he was missing something. He did get ashamed when he couldn’t understand a bit of what they were saying as they spoke in English reminding him that he was failing the class too. He also almost had a heart attack when he heard the older girl speak… or hiss.

With that, he discovered who was it that sent that last letter to Reborn. A Reborn who could understand what she was saying.

_I must really be dreaming._

“How did you get here?” Reborn asked from Adhara’s lap. The girl hadn’t let him go from the moment she saw him and was very adamant in placing him on her lap. He lamented the fact she was already taller than him by almost two heads.

“ _ **We were just passing by, actually.”**_ Farid said with a sheepish smile. _**“Adhara heard we were having a trip where you were**_ _ **working**_ _ **so she wanted to tag along. The trip finished today and cousin Bel brought us here**_ _ **before**_ _ **he**_ _ **left**_ _ **to do**_ _ **some mission, he is the one in charge of the training for the Flame users this month though I think Xanxus only sent him to get a beating from Mom. Luckily for cousin Bel, Mom hadn’t been at home the whole month and he even got a free trip. We won’t stay long, though.”**_ She recounted and added that last sentence remembering his Mom’s words that Dad was working so they shouldn’t trouble him and wait for him to come back.

Reborn could discern from that that Iolanthe didn’t accompany the kids on their trip though that begged the question. “Where is your Mom?”

“In Spain.” Teddy interjected after he was done looking around Tsuna’s room. “Some Lord Marin asked her to bring back an Obscurial boy the Government wanted to get rid of. The boy had been attacking anyone who wanted to help him.” He had sneakily read the letter that Lord Marin had sent her a few days after she left. It wasn’t weird for their Mom to go pick up a kid, it was strange for her to go in such urgency. He was curious about the boy as it would be the first Obscurial they had at home.

Contrary to Teddy’s anticipation, Reborn didn’t like one bit about what Iolanthe was doing. He knew about Obscurials from his Wife’s books and although they would normally not hurt unless hurt themselves, that boy was an active attacker and Obscurials were strong entities capable of killing on sight. Adding the fact she was pregnant, it was obvious she wasn’t up to the task. She should have sent another person.

“ _ **Don’t worry Dad, Mom knows what she’s doing. She has been sending us letters telling us all about little Carlos. It seemed he had r**_ _ **u**_ _ **n away from his house after his aunt and uncle treated him like the devil for having Magic. He hadn’t been very detailed in his conversations with Mom but it seemed he had been very afraid. Mom had been spending a lot of time with him as he had spent a year in isolation and not knowing how to interact with others. Supposedly, those who tried to help him just wanted him to leave the place where he was residing because they needed to demolish the place and build a new building. That’s why he had been attacking them,**_ _ **he was protecting his home.**_ _ **”**_ Farid explained noticing her Dad’s tight expression.

Reborn felt a bit helpless hearing his daughter’s words of reassurance when it should have been him saying those words. If he wasn’t wrong then Farid should have been taking care of Teddy and Adhara during the trip making her even more responsible. He wasn’t sure if Iolanthe did it on purpose to make Farid face some responsibility even under adult supervision but he was grateful for it. He had expected Adhara to be more bratty with how she had been acting towards her Mom but it seemed Farid knew what to do with her.

Even he was unsure on what to do about his daughter who seemed to be too attached to him. Perhaps it was his fault for having spoiled her a lot and not explaining much about his job to her. However, he knew that no matter what he said, she would still not accept him being gone for too long. What he didn’t expect was for her to be ignoring Iolanthe. Iolanthe would take it as Adhara throwing tantrums due to his absence but he knew it wouldn’t bring anything good on the long run. It was clear neither him nor Iolanthe knew what to do with Adhara. Petal and Dew could advise his Wife but all kids reacted differently.

He just hoped with Farid’s help, Adhara would change. After all, between siblings it was another story.

“I trust your Mom.” He finally said. “Then, when will Belphegor arrive?” He still rued the day that bloodthirsty brat claimed to all and sunder back home that he and Iolanthe were royal pals, therefore Family and forced his kids to call him cousin Bel. Iolanthe didn’t mind but he knew it was all Viper’s plan and revenge for making them pay rent.

“ _ **Uh, I don’t know. It would be nice if he doesn’t forget we exist. But Miss Sayuri gave us a portkey to the hotel where we are staying before we return in case he does forget about us.”**_ Farid said with a giggle. They were used to Belphegor not being good with taking care of kids. He actually didn’t teach anything during the trip which was a relief as he was only good at killing, or so Bel himself claimed.

And so Reborn invited his kids together with a dazed Tsuna to eat out. Lambo even tagged along. At first Reborn was annoyed but his mood lifted when his little Sun beat the crap out of Lambo for attacking her Dad, leaving the cow in tears while obediently eating his food.

Tsuna still couldn’t believe what he was seeing. While holding his chopsticks, he looked around at the lively table and kids around him. That little girl who looked like Reborn was a monster. She rapidly put Lambo in his place before he even did his routine of attacking Reborn saying very righteously,“Don’t be rude to Daddy!” Words Reborn translated for Tsuna’s sake. Tsuna would have been deceived by her cute gestures of asking for praise from Reborn and smiling brightly after she was patted by him if he didn’t have proof of a crying Lambo on his side muttering about scary girls.

The other two kids were talking as if whatever happened around them was not of importance. They did glance around from time to time but they still looked used to the scene, as if their little sister beating another kid was normal. They still animatedly talked with Reborn whenever he asked them something. If Tsuna put aside the strangeness of each individual, they did look very close. Like Family. Longing blossomed in his heart.

His Mom did try her best and he was grateful for that, but he would have still wished for her to pay more attention to him, to everything that happened to him. For her to praise him even for something stupid he did or for beating someone. Well, those weren’t good reasons to praise someone but a smile and a pat on the head would have been nice from time to time. He shook his head; it was too late for that. Even if it would be nice, he would be too embarrassed to ask for a pat on the head. He guessed it was nice as long as she provided for him, not caring she let that happen.

Huh? What did she let happen? Was it related to him? To his Father? Why couldn’t he remember?

_What happened to me?_

“Tsuna?” A voice broke him out of his thoughts. He realized he had been sweating and everybody around him were looking at him with strange eyes.

“Ah, sorry, it must have been the heat that dazed me.” He lamely made up an excuse and continued eating.

Reborn looked at Tsuna with narrowed eyes. Just a moment before, Tsuna’s Flames had been reaching out for someone, anyone, as if they were a drowning man asking for help. It was very alarming and Adhara would have Harmonized with him if it wasn’t because his own Sun Flames managed to subdue hers on time. Lambo most likely Harmonized with Tsuna from that episode; even Farid and Teddy were looking at Tsuna with concern. Their instincts telling them he needed help.

Active Sky Flames were always looking for other Flames to interact with and finally settle with. By all means, Tsuna should have been an easy-going kid with lots of friends but he was not. He should have gotten close to Yamamoto long ago even if the latter hadn’t activated his own Rain Flames, but he did not. Putting the fact that Tsuna wasn’t popular aside, the fact there were a couple of Flames in his school he could have interacted with could have made his life a bit better, but it was not. In the end, what had happened to Tsuna’s Flames?

“Tell your Mom about Tsuna.” Reborn whispered to Farid. As he had no answer, he would have to consult with his Wife. He was very good at training Flames but not if the Flames had something wrong on it. In that regard, the person he could trust to find the answer was his Wife.

In the end, the awkward atmosphere was broken by Adhara’s chattering telling Reborn about what she had done on the trip regaining the liveliness from before. After dinner, the kids had to use their portkey as Belphegor truly forgot about them. Teddy mischievously commented Bel would get a beating from Iolanthe for what he did when he told her about it. Reborn didn’t know when Teddy had become a snitch but since it was Belphegor, he didn’t say anything. Of course, Reborn was subjected to Adhara’s tantrum of not wanting to leave. He sighed not wanting to scold her faced with her watery eyes.

Eyes he noticed had become like Iolanthe’s in shape and just like how he hated seeing his Wife cry, he couldn’t bear his little Sun shedding tears.

Seeing her cry, even Teddy’s hair was becoming murky and lifeless but it was Farid with her role of eldest sister who put Adhara on her place with such a scary tactic. Tsuna and the crybaby Lambo even retreated in fright seeing the girl suddenly transforming her head into one of a snake and angrily hissing at Adhara who stood petrified. Reborn had wondered why Farid had looked like a normal girl all along and finally got his answer as Farid put an earring back on her right ear returning her human features without the slit eyes and forked tongue even if she still spoke in Parseltongue.

The thing was obviously Charmed by Iolanthe to fool Muggles.

Taking advantage of Adhara’s frozen form, Teddy grabbed her tightly making her touch the portkey that would send the three back.

“Is she adopted?” Tsuna unconsciously blurted out still shaking from what he saw. Lambo was quietly crying behind Tsuna.

“She is, Teddy too. Adhara is mine.” Reborn truthfully replied. “But the three are still my kids.” The pride in his voice made Tsuna stop shaking, an indescribable feeling filling his being.

  


…

  


“¿Otra vez aquí?” A childish voice asked.

“Otra vez aquí.” The voice of a woman confirmed in broken Spanish.

“You should give up.” The child’s voice said though his voice hid another emotion in it.

“I’ve been visiting you for a month, Carlos. If I had wanted to give up, I would have done it long ago.” The woman’s said very matter-of-factly but still gently and with a smile on her face. She made sure not to get too close to the boy but she was still way closer than at the beginning of their meetings when she located the dilapidated church he was dwelling in. 

“Why are you like this? To someone like me?” The boy, Carlos, sounded very dejected but very hopeful. 

The woman paused a bit. “You and I are alike, Carlos. And because I understand what you feel, I would like for you to stop asking why I am like this to you and just accept that not everybody are like them.” 

Carlos pursed his lips and his fists clenched. He knew who she was talking about, he had told her after all. He also knew she was different from those who had come before  so he couldn’t help but hope that she was indeed like how she said she was. Since all he wanted was to fit, to belong. “Do you like me?” He asked in a soft voice. 

“I like you very much, Carlos. You are such a good and amazing boy.” She replied. The next thing she knew, she had an armful of wailing Carlos. She immediately hugged and carried him while patting his back and walking out from the dilapidated church Carlos had been living for a year. The boy had severe malnutrition and despite being one year older than Farid, with ten years, he was as small and light as Teddy, her six year old son. 

Iolanthe felt her own eyes tear up reminded of her own childhood and she didn’t let go of Carlos at any moment, even casting a Feather-light Charm on him as she was still a pregnant woman of almost five months. Her belly was already popping yet she refused to make Carlos think she didn’t want him after he finally opened up to her. She could already see him clinging to him for a long time just like some of the kids she had brought back home did. With time they started interacting with other kids and left her side so she hoped Carlos was the same. 

She had to ask Lord Marin for help regarding Carlos’ paperwork before she bought plane tickets to Hungary and flew there with a Carlos who had stopped crying but was still clinging to her. The moment she arrived at the Castle the kids who went on their trip were already back as the place was lively with kids running around and  doing last minute  training for the upcoming Quidditch tournament as soon as classes began in September. 

Many kids cheerfully greeted her while rapidly recounting what they did during the trip. They also asked about the kid in her arms. Iolanthe patiently listened to them and talked whenever they asked her a question. Of course she also told them about Carlos. She knew they would tell the others about their new resident as she saw them running to who knows where. It had been a bit hard for her to balance her job as a caretaker and educator with being a Mom at the beginning since she was living there with her Family but she had learned to treat all the kids as hers. 

That had helped her with the way she interacted with her own kids together with the ones she was raising, which was different but at the same time was not. Farid and Teddy just took it as having a huge Family and they enjoyed the variety as they were different too. Adhara was a bit different; and perhaps Iolanthe was to blame with that as she had taught her that she had a Mom a Dad and two older siblings, the other kids were friends who she was raising. The girl had created a line clearly dividing the other kids from her own Family. 

And more often than not she was jealous whenever her Husband taught the other kids or shared an afternoon training with them. Iolanthe had to apologize on her behalf towards the other kids seeing she was sometimes rude and explained she was very attached to Reborn. Of course the older kids understood she was just throwing tantrums and thought it was funny whenever she did it; the younger kids required a more d etailed explanation so they wouldn’t take Adhara’s behavior to heart though Iolanthe knew she had to do something  about it soon.

With t hat and with the  matter  her own daughter refus ing to listen to her. If it wasn’t due to the fact she was mostly busy with the other kids, she would have entered a state of depression. It was saddening to her but she had also tasted the price of forcing Adhara  when she suddenly disappeared from home  and between the two evils, she preferred the girl to ignore her. Arriving at her room, she placed the sleeping Carlos on the bed to then take a quick shower and change clothes. 

She didn’t leave the room until it was dinner time and took the nervous Carlos to the Dining Hall where all the other kids were waiting for her to begin eating. As it was tradition she sat at the table with the younger kids. The other teachers, the ones that still remained at the Castle, sat at the table with the older kids while the babies had already been fed by most of the House-elves. The babies actually enjoyed of a spectacle with all the spoons and bottles flying around in colorful lights to make it more attractive. It worked and they always ate as if they had been starved. 

The moment Iolanthe sat, the food appeared just like how it happened at Hogwarts and everybody started to eat and talk making the Hall really noisy. The cacophony of voices speaking in different languages made Iolanthe smile while she encouraged Carlos to eat. Luckily, Teddy was on the same table as her and he helped her with putting a huge pile of food on the newcomer’s plate. Teddy always did the same with the new kids showing his goodwill and gesture of friendship. He also never took offense if the kids didn’t eat the food he shared. After all, sooner or later they always did. 

Iolanthe had an eye on all the kids who had finally learned how to properly eat while being helped by those who already could in case they needed help. Actually, Adhara should have also been there but she always ate with her sister Farid at the other table. Really, Iolanthe didn’t know what she would have done if she didn’t have Farid with her though she sometimes felt bad for leaving that responsibility to the still girl. Again, she preferred that than the time Adhara threw not only hers but the other kids’ food around. Iolanthe did scold and punished her but that just made the girl’s resentment grow. 

After dinner, the  older  kids were allowed to roam around after reminding them to return to their rooms before curfew. The little ones were taken to the playground that consisted of the back building full of all sort of games. It was divided in two sides, one for the young ones and the other for the older ones. Of course, the one for the older ones even included a pool and other sports courts. They had started to implement basketball and volleyball for those who didn’t want to play Quidditch or didn’t want to fly on brooms. All in  a  Magically expanded  room .

Since the number of kids who didn’t play Quidditch was limited there were no tournaments for those sports but it was still full after dinner time or whenever the other kids had free time, so it wasn’t actually a wasted space. 

As Iolanthe showed Carlos around the place, Farid joined them after leaving Adhara in the playground.  _**“Mom, Dad told me to talk with you about his student.”** _ She said from the get go. She had learned Iolanthe’s straightforward ways.

“ _ **Is something wrong?”**_ Iolanthe knew that her Husband never told her about his job because he didn’t want to involve her too much with the Mafia World. So, the fact he wanted to share meant something was wrong and he needed her help. She just didn’t expect his kids would interact with her Husband’s student during their short visit. 

“ _ **Hm, Tsunayoshi has weird Flames.”**_ As someone who had interacted with all the Flame users at home, although not knowing everything, Farid knew how Flames were supposed to act; no matter if active or not. _**“They are… looking for help.”**_ Or at least that is how she perceived them. 

Iolanthe paused in her walking, Carlos, who was grabbing her left hand also stopped. “That’s weird.” She knew Tsunayoshi was a Sky and according to her Husband, Skies were always people surrounded by others. They had people to rely on. If they were looking for help then there truly was something wrong with the Flames  themselves or with the person.  _**“Tell me what you saw.”** _

And so, Farid recounted everything her Dad  had told her about Tsunayoshi, including his behavior and environment. The more Iolanthe heard, the more she frowned until she was left deep in thought. She continued walking while she muttered her thoughts. “Sky Flames’ characteristic was their Harmony, their way to interact and make the other Flames interact with each other. They are the pillar and most important piece in the balance between the Flames. Just like with Xanxus while he was in a state of Disharmony during his imprisonment preventing him to live or die, Tsuna’s Disharmony may be what brought all his current features to surface. However, what is the reason for such Disharmony?”

“ _ **Dad doesn’t know. He just said that Tsunayoshi is changing every time he uses his Flames.”**_ Farid relayed what she was told. Iolanthe nodded. 

“ _ **Thanks for telling me, Farid dear. Go back to your room, tomorrow there is early Quidditch practice.”**_ Iolanthe smiled while kissing the girl’s forehead. 

That night, while Carlos was sleeping, she wrote a letter to her Husband. 

“Dear Renato, my love.

I assume the situation with Tsunayoshi hadn’t been that bad until recently. I appreciate the fact you are trying to help your student apart from making his life a bit of a hell. Farid has told me everything about the  him and I can conclude the same thing you must have concluded already. Tsunayoshi is in a state of Disharmony. The only possible reasons for it I can think of are: a severe trauma he most likely doesn’t remember, his refusal of using his Flames or the intervention of someone else. Decide on one depending on his behavior. 

Although the fact he is changing every time he uses his Flames may discard the second possibility, but it would be nice not to do so for the time being. I can only recommend you keep making him use his Flames and let him get used to them. They fact they are reaching out for help now means they hadn’t been able to do so before, so that’s a clue. I am not sure what you plan to do with his Guardians but letting him Harmonize might help, after all, Flames as a Magick do what’s necessary to help the user. I will try to make time to go visit and check him up. For the time being, just continue doing what you’re doing and let the Flames do their job. 

Also, I know Farid told you I am pregnant again. The baby is very healthy and hasn’t cause d any problem. I actually noticed about it until I was almost three months in. Luna said it is a boy with her Luna-thing but I will confirm it in the following months. Girl, boy or whatever I will love the child very much since it is yours. Finally, thanks for the presents you sent to Teddy and Adhara for their birthdays. I would have loved to have you beside me for my birthday but I understand this job is important and I can’t be too selfish to keep you to myself no matter how much I want to. I still have to share you with our kids, too, sadly. Don’t forget Farid’s birthday. Send her something pretty. I love you, please take care.

PS. Farid told me Lambo found you again. Help me give him the box of candies I sent. ”

Finished hearing his Wife’s letter, he put  it together with the others. His actions were calm although inside he was in great turmoil. He was going to have a boy. He was extremely reluctant for his kids to carry the same name as that man who used to call himself his Father. If it was a girl, it was no problem as they would be Potters or whatever surname they acquired after marrying (if he allowed that) yet a boy would have to carry the Sinclair name. He didn’t want t hat . 

However, hearing Iolanthe’s happy voice while telling him about the baby left him helpless. Perhaps it was time he let go of that past and just enjoy what he had. He was just afraid what that would entail. 

Leaving that aside, he resentfully gave Lambo the huge box of candies his Wife sent to the boy. Iolanthe knew who Lambo was from the time the cow boy followed Reborn back home while trying to kill him. As someone who couldn’t interfere with Mafia matters, Iolanthe took  great  care of the boy for the week he stayed while making his assassination attempts at Reborn. Reborn even threatened Lambo to write to Iolanthe to let her know he was fine. Lambo cryingly did so with Tsuna’s help who finally discovered why Reborn was mean to Lambo. 


	49. The Seal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna discovers he has a seal on his Flames. An expert is called for the matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this unedited chapter! LOL

* * *

 

On September 1 st , Reborn sent a letter back home with the opening of the school year speech. Iolanthe was not that good at it so, as her Husband, the task fell upon him. Actually, he wasn’t any better but she said that although his words weren’t that motivational, there was always something in him that made them sound so. Of course, that was attributed to his Sun Flames as they were like the light that gave others strength. He really was a contradiction in itself as he was best at killing than motivating and give others hope but he had been learning thanks to Iolanthe. 

As such, Reborn thought it was time for Tsuna to get a Sun. With his Wife’s recommendation, he had to hurry the Guardian acquisition matter to help his pupil’s Flames. Who better than the person Reborn had been eyeing for a long time? Sasagawa Ryohei. The fact he was Kyoko’s brother had made the Arcobaleno hesitate but he was undoubtedly better than the other Sun in town, Shoichi Irie who had appeared once at Tsuna’s house due to Lambo. So, he implemented his plan to make Tsuna meet Ryohei on the day of the opening ceremony after summer vacation. 

Bang!

“Go to school as if I were to die!!” 

Reborn watched with a smile as Tsuna ran with all his might on the trajectory he knew Sasagawa Ryohei always walked. And as he planned, the energetic Ryohei took notice of the lively Tsuna. The reason Ryohei was the best option was due to the fact he had already activated his Flames and seemed to be in a perpetual Dying Will state thanks to them. There was no little Flame on his forehead like Tsuna but the guy subconsciously knew how to best use them. Regarding potential, he was below Gokudera and Yamamoto but Reborn needed that endless energy for Tsuna’s Family. 

Meanwhile Tsuna was complaining about Reborn’s sudden ambush and making him run around in only his underwear again with the Dying Will bullet. 

“So you are Tsuna...” a weak voice sounded out of nowhere startling Tsuna. “As expected! Your power and stamina are much better than what I have heard! You are the type of passionate person that is born once every hundred years!” Tsuna was scared by the intense guy in front of him; he even knew his name! Was he like that creep of Haru? “Join our club, Sawada Tsuna!” 

Tsuna was speechless. It was the first time someone asked him to join their club. However, no matter how touched he was, being in a club was troublesome. As he was about to reject he heard a familiar voice call out, “Big brother!”

Eh? Wasn’t that… “What is it, Kyoko?!” Why did he have to yell so loudly? Nevertheless, Tsuna discovered and even scarier fact. The intense guy was actually Kyoko’s brother, Sasagawa Ryohei, the captain of the boxing club. He had enough with Reborn forcing him to be some Mafia Boss so he didn’t want to get involved with no boxing club. Specially when he wanted to create a distance with everything that had to do with Sasagawa Kyoko. His crush on her wasn’t as strong as before but his heart still beat rapidly by seeing her cute face. 

“Don’t force him into your club, big brother.” Kyoko said.

“I’m not forcing him!” Ryohei denied vehemently though he hesitated at the end seeing his sister’s face. “...right, Sawada?” How was Tsuna supposed to answer to that? If he said something wrong, then he would make the siblings fight. His silence, though, was all Ryohei needed to convince himself Tsuna was willing to join the boxing club. “Well, I’ll wait for you in the gym after school, Sawada!” He exclaimed while leaving. 

“Sorry about my brother, he seems rowdy and all but he is not a bad guy. I am grateful Tsuna-kun can make my brother this happy.” Kyoko commented with a smile. Tsuna thought he would become a mess being smiled at by Kyoko but he surprisingly found that he felt nothing despite thinking she really was cute. Perhaps he no longer liked her in that way. He felt relieved. What still made him nervous was the fact he had to go to the boxing club to decline Sasagawa Ryohei’s offer. 

He didn’t want to do boxing. 

As he mulled in front of the boxing club how to nicely voice his refusal, the door suddenly opened showing the intense Ryohei who pulled him inside. “With you being here, the master of Muay Thai, Master Paopao came from Thailand.” 

Tsuna was amazed noticing Ryohei was kind of nice when he wasn’t that intense and yelling for everybody to hear that he didn’t pay attention to what he was saying until he almost got a heart attack when he saw Reborn in a disguise. It was the first time Tsuna saw him in such a ridiculous get-up but he could easily recognize it was him. Though it looked like Ryohei wasn’t the same. He even talked and looked at Reborn respectfully as if the latter was truly a Master of something. Tsuna knew the moment he saw Reborn that things were going to go down the drain for him. And he was right when Reborn requested a fight between him and Ryohei.

The Hitman even gave him a lame excuse of “I’m doing it for your own good, Tsuna. You need to become stronger.” Tsuna would have accepted it if he hadn’t called for Gokudera and Yamamoto to cheer for him. Kyoko sure was there to support her brother. What a way to embarrass himself in front of others! Though, what Tsuna found even more inconceivable was that nobody noticed Master Paopao was actually Reborn. The disguise wasn’t that good, so why couldn’t they see?! 

Of course, Reborn knew the answer to that. It was the Sky perception being enhanced by Primo’s bloodline. If it wasn’t for that, Tsuna wouldn’t actually have recognized him that easily as the new disguises were Charmed by his Wife to deceive people into believing it was actually another person no matter how lame the disguise was. Reborn always had fun while wearing them. The only ones he couldn’t deceive were his kids. Farid and Teddy had keen senses while Adhara just knew it was him. Tsuna was, then, added to the list of people he couldn’t deceive. 

Tsuna wanted to cry. Not even his friends’ cheering could give him the strength to fight, he knew he was going to be beaten. Forcing himself to calm down and stop thinking why he agreed to the fight he paid attention to the person in front of him. The moment the bell sounded he got scared due to the speed from Ryohei; he barely dodged the punch being thrown at him. His heart started to beat faster due to the adrenaline and the familiar warmth started to run inside his body giving him the chance to dodge the incoming attacks. Finally finding a rhythm, Tsuna found the confidence to throw a punch too only to fail at the last moment as the warmth suddenly left him making him receive Ryohei’s punch.

“Tsuna!”

“Juudaime!”

Reborn intently watched the fight and inwardly nodded at Tsuna’s progress. He also held his breath when Tsuna started to use his Flames and paid attention to what the Flames would do, only for them to dissipate as if they were scattered by something. Reborn could discard the option of Tsuna not wanting to use his Flames as the teenager looked more relaxed while using them, so that left him with the options that something happened to Tsuna that rendered him unable to properly use them or… someone did something to him. There was nothing in the report Nono gave him about the matter but his instincts told him it had to with the old man or Iemitsu. 

In the case they really did something to him. He would have to wait for his Wife to check on Tsuna to confirm. 

Reborn not only paid attention to Tsuna’s fight but to his Guardians too. The moment Tsuna received that punch Gokudera reacted strongly to it belying the fact he was very loyal and very worried. He even had to be stopped by the calm Yamamoto. As expected of a Rain; he could even calm the ever restless Storm. Not worried about those two, Reborn needed to work on Ryohei and Tsuna. Whipping out his gun, Reborn shot at Sasagawa Ryohei. 

Tsuna watched with a white face how Ryohei didn’t change at all even in Dying Will mode. He shakily realized that Sasagawa Ryohei always lived on the verge of death or at least in a state similar to that. He had been explained that although the Dying Will bullet worked through the power of regret in a person, it could also bring out an active Flame user’s potential. So he bitterly discovered that from the very beginning, he had no chance against him. Not when he couldn’t use his own Flames. But, why couldn’t he? Weren’t they supposed to be a part of him? 

He turned to ask Reborn for an answer only to be greeted by a gun’s muzzle. 

Already used to being shot by Reborn, Tsuna strove to look for an answer himself. The moment the bullet entered he could finally perceive it. The bullet never brought out his potential, his Flames, it actually released them from some sort of shackle that imprisoned them. A momentary release, either way. As the moment the five minutes were up and the bullet lost its effect, the shackle went back to place and pulled his Flames in their prison. Tsuna stood there in a daze and completely at a loss. He was woken up from his stupor as he heard Sasagawa Ryohei’s words.

“Your boxing skills are superb, Sawada! I definitely welcome you to the club!” Tsuna didn’t know what to say to that. Though Reborn helped him with that, even if his words were even more outrageous.

“I like you, Sasagawa Ryohei, I welcome you to the Family.”

Tsuna didn’t dwell too much on the fact Reborn had been scouting people but he did dwell on the state of his Flames. Back at his house, he told Reborn what he felt when he was shot by the Dying Will bullet. It was the first time Tsuna had seen such a serious and gloom Reborn. The Hitman remained silent for a few minutes before calling out. “Mimi.” The teenager was puzzled as to what the baby was trying to do only to be startle by the sudden appearance of a wrinkled, somewhat ugly yet well-dressed creature in his room moments later.

“What cans Mimi do for Master?” The always timid House-elf asked fidgeting seeing she was in an unknown place. It was also rare for him to call while working so Mimi was even more nervous thinking it was some emergency.

“Tell Iolanthe Tsuna has a seal.” Reborn said with a stern voice. Mimi nodded and disappeared in a pop. 

“Wha-what was that?” Tsuna asked a bit hysterical. 

Reborn glanced at the panicking teenager and sighed. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt telling you. Dying Will Flames aren’t the only powers in this world, there are many more out there than you can imagine, including Magic. Not the cheap tricks you have seen but real Magic with real stick waving Wizards and Witches that cast Spells, Hexes, Curses, Charms and so on. My Wife is a Witch.” 

Say what now? Tsuna’s brain stopped working for a while until the creature from before appeared again. 

“Mistress bes saying she will visit this weekend.” With the matter settled, Mimi left. 

“A professional will see you this coming weekend, Tsuna.” Reborn relayed the news to the teenager who suddenly got nervous. He never thought his situation was that serious. 

The following days were a hell to Tsuna. For the most part he wanted to know what would happen to him and his Flames but he was also afraid of wanting to know what had actually left him in that state. He had the feeling the moment he knew, it would be a big blow to him. He was so nervous that he even had problems sleeping and on Friday, he overslept. Another mark of lateness on his card didn’t bother him or more like, a mark of absence as he suddenly started to feel bad. Before he could even debate whether he should go to school or not, the doorbell rang. With his Mom gone to who knows where, he climbed out of his bed to open the door. 

The first thing that greeted him was the fresh smell of mint, he then noticed a woman with extremely bouncy hair standing by the door. She was wearing a casual blue dress that reached her knees and subtly accented her pregnant belly. On her right that monster girl he met a while ago was standing while holding the woman’s hand. On her left stood an unknown boy with curly brown hair who was tightly clutching at the woman’s hand and dress looking somewhat terrified but ready to attack. All in all the trio was very strange. 

“Are you Sawada Tsunayoshi?” The woman asked with accented Japanese. It was obvious she was a foreigner by that and by her features. Tsuna didn’t know many foreigners but he had to accept the woman in front of him was very beautiful, not even the quirky round glasses shadowed her elegant and feminine face. He dazedly nodded at her to then be blinded by her smile. It couldn’t be that he actually liked mature women, right? “My name is Iolanthe Potter, I came because Reborn told me you have a seal.”

Tsuna paused to then put an expression of horror realization on his face. “You… you are...”

Iolanthe was confused for a moment not understanding what Tsuna wanted to say. “Don’t worry, I am not a suspicious person. Reborn is my Husband and asked me to check up on you.” She explained. Tsuna felt reality crumbling around him. It was true? Everything Reborn said about having a Wife and kids was true? The baby Wife was a beautiful Wife? A cool hand on his forehead brought him back from his state of despair. “You have a fever.”

Next thing Tsuna knew, he was laying on his bed being taken care of by the beautiful lady who he couldn’t even pronounce the name. The little monster was behaving by the side while the boy never once let the woman go. Not even when she went to fetch a towel and a bowl with cold water for his fever. 

“Yolan… Ialen...” He stuttered out trying to call her name but he miserably failed. Her name was too hard to pronounce.

“You can call me Io-san… or was it Io-chan? I am not sure how good you get along with my Husband.” She said with a smile while wiping his forehead. 

Tsuna felt his mind explode. There was no way he would call her Io-chan! That was too embarrassing. “Io-san,” he called out with a soft voice. “Have you come to see what’s going on with my Flames?”

“Mhm, my Husband has told me about your situation and I came up with a couple of countermeasures he must have applied. With you discovering your Flames were sealed I had to hurry to take a look. No matter the type of Magick, a seal on them brings severe repercussions to the person. I wouldn’t be surprised if this new symptom on your body was caused by your Disharmony.” Iolanthe pointed out.

Tsuna felt his head spin by the information being thrown at him. Magick? Disharmony? He could not entirely comprehend what she was saying. Though he did look towards the place she was pointing only to find out there was an ominous skull with one of his secrets coming out of its mouth. 

“I have never gotten a 100...”

“Wha! No! Don’t read!” Tsuna quickly covered his shameful secret to avoid Iolanthe from reading it. 

Iolanthe startled by the strong reaction in Tsuna but calmed down. “Ok, I won’t read. Just stay still while I perform some tests.” Tsuna felt he had been riding a roller coaster with the many things he had experienced in such a short amount of time. He had no choice but to really sit still as she waved a stick around him while paper appeared out of thin air. “You are very healthy and the seal does appear on the tests, however this new symptom is still unknown.” She said reading the results of the tests.

“It won’t.” A childish voice suddenly said. “This is a side effect of having used the Dying Will bullet ten times. It is known as the Skull disease and it can actually kill a person. It is also known as the ‘Embarrassing-yourself-before-death’ disease as the victim died with all their secrets and shameful past revealed on their body.”

“Daddy!” The behaving Adhara jumped to her feet and rushed towards her Dad who patted her head. 

Iolanthe ignored her Husband as she looked intently at Tsuna. Her closeted Ravenclaw side surging with a vengeance at her discovery of such a strange disease. It sounded very much like a Curse though it was actually a side effect to the usage of Dying Will bullets. She knew about those bullets and what they did but she was ignorant of the fact they could have that effect on the user. She would have already started experimenting if it wasn’t because Tsuna couldn’t actually use his Flames, which she lamented greatly. 

Tsuna, on the other hand, was on the verge of crying. Not only his Flames were sealed, he was going to die with all his shameful secrets brought to light. “Do something! Reborn! Io-san! I don’t want to die!” He suddenly cried out. 

“There are worst things in this life than death, Tsuna.” Iolanthe said with a serious voice which oddly calmed Tsuna down. The gentle pat on his head also helped. “Besides, I don’t know how to cure this as it pertains the Flames you can’t use.” Tsuna thought he would despair having heard her saying that she couldn’t cure him but even with death near, he was still calm. What was going on?

The ignored Husband was very unhappy by the scene playing in front of him though he refrained from voicing his complaints as he was aware of each and every quirk in his Wife. He knew she was interested in the challenge the Skull disease represented. Saying she couldn’t cure him was just saying she couldn’t cure him at that moment, with time she would be able to succeed. Sadly, the Skull disease lasted one hour from the moment it started for it to kill the person. So, they didn’t have time.

“I knew this would happen so I called someone who can actually cure him.” Reborn said earning the hopeful and curious glance from Tsuna and Iolanthe, respectively. Though, before he could actually say who the doctor was, a ruckus could be heard downstairs. 

“Stop it!”

“Die!”

Reborn could only feel his heart drop hearing the second voice. “Isn’t that Shamal?” “Isn’t that Bianchi?” Never before had Reborn felt the strong urge to kill Tsuna then and there. It was fine if Iolanthe could identify Shamal as they had met a couple of times (to which he still rued as the doctor was too shameless) but Tsuna saying Bianchi was in the house was akin to betrayal. Reborn braved a glance at Iolanthe and his heart tightened seeing her calmly sitting there. He knew, though, that she was angry. 

“Bring Shamal up.” Her monotone voice clued Reborn that she was beyond angry. If the Arcobaleno lived past that day, he would be the luckiest bastard on Earth.

“Yes!” He ran out of the room not daring to disobey her. Not even a second later, he was dragging Shamal into the room and threw him to the floor. “Hurry cure Tsuna.” He ordered.

“As savage as always… oh! Iolanthe what an incredible pleasure seeing you here. You are even more beautiful than the last time I saw you. Why don’t you leave Re-GEH!” Before Shamal could even finish his assault of shameless words, he was hit by Reborn and almost broke his skull open as he hit the floor.

“I said hurry and cure him, Iolanthe is angry.” Reborn hissed. 

Shamal knew the only person that could put Reborn that restless and afraid was his Wife. The doctor felt cold sweat form all over his body when he remembered the time the Sun Arcobaleno told him about how he almost died by her hands in a fit of rage. So, getting serious, he instantly stood up and without caring about his rule of not examining guys, he immediately took a look at Tsuna. Confirming it was really the Skull disease he quickly administered the antidote on Tsuna who saw the shameful secrets disappearing from his body. 

Him plus a Reborn and a Shamal sighed relieved though for different reasons. However, their relief would be short-lived when the door suddenly opened showing a Bianchi with a Kyoko beside her.

“She said she wants to see Tsuna.” Bianchi said pointing at Kyoko but then her eyes fell on Reborn’s small figure and they sparkled. “You are here, Reb-” Bianchi became the second person who was interrupted but this time it was the calmly sitting Iolanthe who took action blasting her away before she could approach Reborn. Bianchi loudly and heavily crashed against the wall, breaking it down and falling in a heap. A pool of blood rapidly formed under her.

The room was suddenly permeated in a strange atmosphere. It was as if Death was looming over all the occupants without the possibility of running away. 

“I will come back tomorrow for Tsunayoshi’s seal. Come, Adhara, we are leaving.” Iolanthe said standing up. Nobody dared to move or make a sound; nobody except Adhara.

“I don’t want to leave!” She cried out tightly clutching at Reborn who didn’t know whether to cry or not as his daughter couldn’t read the mood and even dragged him down with her.

“I said we are leaving Adhara Gia Potter!” Iolanthe harshly said scaring the girl. Actually it was the first time Iolanthe rose her voice at her daughter and the girl could feel that her Mom was really angry compared to all the times she tried that fake anger to educate Adhara. The three-year-old for the first time didn’t dare to disobey her Mom and made her way out of the room. Iolanthe herself left with Carlos on tow after she repaired the broken wall and Obliviated Kyoko from what she witnessed. After all, she was a Muggle. 

It wasn’t until the pressure disappeared in the room that the men were able to breath. 

“Is-is Bianchi dead?” Tsuna shakily asked seeing the immobile figure of Bianchi and the dazed Kyoko. 

“First of all, take Kyoko to her house.” Reborn commanded. “I will go out… If I don’t return by tomorrow, consider me dead.” Saying that, he left not even mentioning or glancing at Bianchi.

Tsuna was spooked by Reborn’s words and turned to look at Dr. Shamal who was already treating Bianchi. The young woman was barely breathing but Dr. Shamal could successfully bring her back from death’s door. Shamal didn’t know since when Iolanthe had become that violent of if she had always been like that. He knew Reborn didn’t mind her acting possessive of him as he confessed he was possessive of her too, but the relationship between them was taking another route that might not be the best for either. Shamal was no expert in relationship but he could see that their behavior towards the other would only end up hurting themselves.

“Just do what Reborn told you to do. Anything else...” Shamal trailed off as he was also uncertain what would happen.

Tsuna docilely followed Reborn’s orders and brought the still dazed Kyoko back to her house where she finally snapped out if it and started a conversation with Tsuna about her brother still wanting for him to enter the club. Tsuna saw the pure and carefree face of Kyoko -who didn’t even asked why they were outside her house- and decided then and there to totally cut off ties with her. It would be bad if he let such a nice girl get into something so dangerous as the Mafia. His feelings for her were not strong enough for him to selfishly drag her into danger, anyway. Thanking her for the boxing books, he walked back to his house only to feel that same pressure of Death in the vicinity.

He didn’t even think it as his feet were already running towards it.

Iolanthe had calmed down the moment she stepped out of Tsuna’s house. She knew stewing in anger was not good for her baby, so she let out all that tension and slowly made her way towards the hotel she had booked a room in. She glanced at Carlos who was still clutching at her dress; although the boy looked normal, he was still a bit tense from what happened previously. She then glanced at the subdued Adhara walking a couple of steps in front of her and inwardly sighed. The image of her daughter’s scared face still lingered in her mind filling her with guilt.

She always tried all the other methods to discipline her daughter; even if not that effected to herself, whenever Farid applied them to Adhara, the latter would always know she did wrong and that was enough to Iolanthe as she was assured her youngest daughter would not grow up that spoiled. Actually, Iolanthe knew Adhara was not that bad if she put aside the fact the child was not happy with her saying her Dad wasn’t coming back. If thought deeply, Iolanthe reckoned not any children would like it if one of their parents said the other wasn’t coming back. And after denial and anger, Adhara had luckily entered a stage of bargaining.

The fact she promised to behave just so she could visit her Dad proved it. Iolanthe hoped the girl would skip depression and go straight to accepting the situation of her Dad working far away from home. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t come back or that it was a rare situation; after all, many families were like that. Taking a fortifying breath, Iolanthe decided to apologize to her daughter for yelling at her and explain a bit what had happened only for her to pause and pull her daughter behind her. The next moment, a shadow rebounded on the shield she had hastily produced.

The figure skidded a few meters and her shield shattered. 

Iolanthe took notice of the person in front of her only to realize it was a teenager holding a pair of tonfas in his hands and looking at her with a wide smile that made his eyes almost disappear in crescents. However, Iolanthe could feel the violent feeling he exuded. Luckily, it was not killing intent. “Two tigers cannot dwell in the same mountain. Fight me, carnivore.” Saying so, the youth ran towards Iolanthe who lost all desire to fight as their lives were not in danger. 

She did get a  deja vu as she busied herself in dodging while trying to persuade the teenager to stop. She was a pregnant woman, nonetheless, so more often than not she cast a Protego to cover for the kids behind her. Kids who cooperated with her and quickly moved whenever she did. 

“Please stop your attacks. Let’s talk about this.” Iolanthe didn’t know why the teenager was attacking her and he wasn’t listening to her, putting her in a conundrum. Her soft methods however almost made her daughter, who wasn’t able to move on time, to get hit by him. 

Iolanthe saw red. 

Tsuna ran with all his might towards the place he felt that murderous feeling. Even though, he was scared, terrified, utterly and completely frightened by that murderous aura as if he would drop dead at any moment, the fact it was Iolanthe didn’t change his mind in wanting to know what was going on. He turned right to a small alley and he could see the tall silhouette of the woman with two smaller ones behind her. Still, running he opened his mouth to call out to her but someone grabbed him from behind and hid him behind some boxes. 

“Reborn! What are-”

“Shh! Iolanthe is disciplining right now. You better not get close.” The Hitman shushed the teenager. Tsuna found the situation strange but still exercised cautiousness while peeking from behind the boxes. He felt his jaw drop by what he saw. 

“Stop fighting when I tell you to stop! What two tigers! What mountain! Little mischievous fool! You almost hit my daughter! If you hit her, I would make you take responsibility!” 

All the while moving her arm up and down. The motion mirroring the movements of something floating midair. Tsuna had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. 

“Is that a rabbit?” He asked incredulous. 

“Right now it is...” Reborn replied. He had seen what had happened before the scene that was playing in front of them. He had just caught up to them when Iolanthe retaliated to the attacks. In a way, he felt it was unfair; he would have died if he had the nerve to attack her but that guy just received a mild punishment. Though, knowing him, the punishment was humiliating enough. Actually, it was the first time Iolanthe did something like that to a ‘child’ so it was a bit entertaining. 

“What do you mean?”

“Look.” Instead of replying, Reborn pointed at Iolanthe.

After she had vented enough, Iolanthe transfigured the teenager back. She felt bad for doing something so humiliating to him but there was no other choice as she wasn’t going to descend into a senseless rage and torture the poor child. Her daughter might have been hit but she was also a tough nut to crack, so it wasn’t that bad; she wouldn’t have been hit anyway yet her maternal instincts kicked in. She also never thought she would use the same method Barty Crouch Jr. used on Draco. The man was a DeathEater but that moment was brilliant!

With all the penchant anger gone, she suddenly got hungry. She  had to feed her baby too, after all. 

“The two of you hiding. Are you coming or not?” She suddenly spoke.

Tsuna startled at being discovered yet he had no time to feel ashamed when he was already being dragged by Reborn who eagerly followed his Wife. No matter how much Tsuna protested, the toddler never let him go and was pitifully towed until they arrived at a sushi restaurant. Meanwhile, the disheveled teenager that Iolanthe left on the road watched with sparkling eyes at the  leaving  figure of the woman who trashed him. There was only one thing he could say to it:

“Wow.” 

If Tsuna thought the meal with Reborn and the three kids was surreal. The meal with the Wife was even more so. It was so harmonious and beautiful that Tsuna wondered if he was still on Earth. Iolanthe was not the same murderous woman from a while ago but a dedicated Mother that looked after her daughter who could not hold chopsticks and the boy who was staring at his food with suspicion. Though the boy let out a shy smile whenever he was fed by Iolanthe earning the jealous glare of the daughter who demanded attention from her Dad who in place was too busy trying to make his Wife happy. 

He almost got a heart attack when he heard  why Iolanthe wanted to visit that specific restaurant. Apparently, the owner had been the target of an assassin who pardoned his life after seeing the magnificent display of knife control while  cutting fish. Iolanthe said the assassin was her cousin and it was him who recommended the place. Tsuna could only inwardly cry at the fact she was also a dangerous person involved in the Mafia. No matter how beautiful. Though Tsuna was wrong in his assumption; she was married to someone in the Mafia but was not overall involved. She just knew the right people. 

He was taking out of his stupor when a piece of sushi was stuffed in his mouth by a smiling Iolanthe. “Eat. Tomorrow it’s going to be an exhausting day so you need to eat to replenish some energy.”

Only then was Tsuna reminded that the reason she had arrived was because of his seal. “Is… is it that bad?” 

“You tell me. How has your life been?” She gently inquired. Tsuna lowered his head recalling how he had been so useless and clumsy and not popular. Why was it him? A soft hand landed on his and his looked up at the woman in front of him. “Being restless won’t help you. I confess I am not an expert in Flames but I will do my best.” Tsuna nodded.

Iolanthe inwardly sighed. If her Magic hadn’t subdued the restless Flames that were seeping out of his body, it would not only hurt himself but others too. Carlos was so tense he was about to bolt out of the place in Obscurus form. Her Adhara would have forcefully used her Flames on Tsuna if Reborn hadn’t acted on time. More than that, Iolanthe could feel the despair in Tsuna’s Flames. 

They wanted to be free. 

The following day, Tsuna regretted having gone to the place Iolanthe told him to go. It was the most expensive hotel in Namimori. Inside a suite, he was standing in the middle of a circle as if he was about to be sacrificed and he couldn’t move, didn’t dare to move afraid something would happen to him. Iolanthe was arguing with Reborn about the usage of Magic while she was pregnant. Iolanthe vowed she would be fine as the only thing she needed to do was activate the ritual circle.  Reborn was a bit skeptical since he knew Iolanthe was one to put others before her own safety. 

“Enough, Renato! I never complain when you do your job no matter how much I dislike it! If you are not going to let me my job, then what was the point in calling me?! Do you think I am so stupid to not know what I am doing? If you don’t trust my job, then at least trust me as a Mother who would never hurt her own baby!” Iolanthe snapped successfully silencing Reborn. 

Reborn pursed his lips and sullenly moved to the side so he would keep an eye on her. He knew he had no right to interfere in her job as she never does with his. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her, he was just… worried. Was he thinking too much? Iolanthe was reckless but never stupid and with time she learned when she could act and when not to. He knew well enough; they had been married for four years already.  Iolanthe was not weak. Then, since when he started thinking she was? Since when he thought she needed protection? 

Reborn had discovered in four years of marriage that Iolanthe never needed him. 

True to her word, Iolanthe just needed to activate the ritual circle and then it automatically started doing its job. It was a new ritual circle little Lisa had created as her firsts attempts to create a way in which she could put her gift to use. With Iolanthe’s guidance, the girl created her first Healing Circle. However, she couldn’t it as she didn’t have the correct Magick to employ it since she used the standard Runes. According to her Spiritual Guide, she would need to create her own set of Runes and find her own materials for the Circles to function. It was a long process but with the vast number of books about Runes in the Library in the Castle, she was on her way to create the first ones. 

The Healing Circle was the basic Find-and-Fix a Spiritual Healer could make. Iolanthe had tweaked it and made it more advanced under the attentive eye of Lisa who needed to learn the intricacies of Runes for her own set.  It easily found the source of the Imbalance in Tsuna and instantly started to unravel the problem to fix it. It was perfect for Tsuna as Iolanthe really was afraid she would mess up his Flames. The Healing Circle was very smooth; if it couldn’t actually fix the problem, it wouldn’t use force and simply stopped working.

Just like how it happened with Tsuna. 

Iolanthe had been paying attention to the way the Magic worked around Tsuna’s seal yet it had barely been touched when the latter had retaliated and prevented the Magic from doing its job at all cost. The seal had even burned the Magic so it wouldn’t get near. Iolanthe had a sudden thought and decided to act on it.

“Do you remember when you received your seal?” She asked the panting Tsuna.

“I… I don’t.” Regaining his breath, he replied with sorrow.

“Do you want to know?” She asked then.

Tsuna froze. Did he want to? That bad premonition he had been feeling since he knew Iolanthe was coming to see him intensified and his heart started to beat like crazy.  He wanted very much to say no and just run away but his body never moved. He was afraid but at the same time determined. “I want to.” He said with clenched teeth. 

Iolanthe knew the poor teenager was frightened to no end so she made it easy for him. She walked to him, grabbed his face and made him look at her eyes intently. She ignored his blushing face and incoherent stuttering to gently enter his mind. Tsuna’s mind was not like Xanxus’ that despite being frozen for so long, he still had a notion of self. Tsuna was a whirlwind of memories flashing here and there. Not as crazy as Iolanthe’s but hers was a controlled mess, Tsuna’s was just a mess with no direction, no substance and no one to control it. 

As someone who is pants at Occlumency, she was very clear where there is a problem in someone’s mind. That’s where she headed. In a desolate place, there was only a memory peacefully floating with a kid with fluffy orange hair looking at it. The kid  turned to look at her with orange pupils in which flames burned. His hands and feet were shackled to the space below him though he was eternally condemned to watch the memory. Actually, the memory was also bound to that space, though the shackles were  almost disappearing. 

“You have suffered.” She murmured patting the kid’s head not even reacting when her hand was burned. The kid obediently took the pat but didn’t say a word. “Mind if I take it?” She softly asked pointing at the memory. The kid paused and shook his head. With a wave of her hand, the fragile shackle shattered and the memory instantly flew towards the mess of memories. With another wave of her hand, Iolanthe made a memory fly towards her blistered hand, she tapped at it and made a copy. The original returned to its place and the copy was left for the kid to see. “You have done a great job. Thanks to you, Tsuna has made friends. Hang in there, soon you will be free. Trust in him.” She gently caressed the kid’s face who leaned on her hand. 

Second later he was back to being alone only the memory had changed to the scene after Tsuna defeated Sasagawa Ryohei in boxing. Ryohei was animatedly screaming his desire of Tsuna entering the club while Yamamoto was making sure Tsuna wasn’t hurt and Gokudera was scolding Ryohei for trying to make the Juudaime do something as puny as boxing. It was very lively and Tsuna could only look on helplessly. The kid smiled and entertained himself with watching the memory over and over again subconsciously nurturing the bond he had with the Rain and the Sun. 

Once out of Tsuna’s mind, Iolanthe didn’t have the time to look at her patient when she was dragged towards the near couch to sit while her hand was put into a bowl of cold water. She hissed at the pain but soon it disappeared. It seemed the water had some potions to help heal her blistered hand.  She stared at the person who was earnestly tending to her wound without uttering a word. She turned to look at Carlos who was carrying a fainted Tsuna to the bed with Adhara’s help. She smiled as it seemed with Adhara’s strength, Carlos wasn’t needed at all. 

With their task done, the two quickly made their way towards the couch she was sitting at. 

“What you doing, Daddy?” Adhara cutely asked.

“Tending to Mommy’s hand.” Reborn replied very focused on his task of applying a cream on her hand.

“Why?” The girl continued asking with a pout. It was always her Dad tending to her wounds when she played so she was jealous by the attention her Mom was receiving. 

“Because Daddy is useless and can only stand by the side seeing Mommy get hurt.” He answered with a downcast expression he tried to hide from his child. 

Iolanthe felt a painful knot forming in her throat and her eyes moisten. The times she had gotten hurt either by experimenting with something, going out on jobs or in any other situations were few, each and every one of them different from the other. What wasn’t different was the person tending to her wounds. Even if Astoria or Iolanthe herself treated the injuries and wounds, her Husband always would make his own check up to make sure she was fine.  No matter how many times she had convinced herself she had given up on wanting to hear those three words from him. 

She couldn’t. Not when he would do things like tending to her wounds with a self-mocking expression. 

Even if it was a stupid, she would wait. Even if she was stupid, being by his side was enough. Even if she never heard him say it, as long as he remained by her side, her Husband would always be her beloved Husband. 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had planned to write and post this right after the chapter from last week, yet I couldn't when the chapter took an unexpected twist with Iolanthe appearing sooner than I had planned. I had to rethink some plots I wanted to write and that held back the chapter. For the time being, it is still going as planned but some things changed in my mind. Well, you will never know as you will only see the result but most importantly I want to write something that will satisfy me and hopefully you too :D
> 
> My birthday was officially on the 26th :3 and after much debate I already know what to do to celebrate it (even if late xD). First, posting a chapter of this fic. 
> 
> Next, LET'S PLAY A GAME! Mwahaha. The question is very simple. Tell me who the child in Tsuna's mind was and why Iolanthe didn't help him. Your answer is not a key point plot so it's fine if you answer! The person who answers correctly (I will only choose the first one to answer correctly) will get the privilege to ask for a spoiler! So think well!
> 
> TOMORROW! There will be a surprise! Or maybe not xD I mean, you already knew my ideas, lol. Well, I will update one of the fics in the Rainbow series, pray it is the one you expect for! 
> 
> FINALLY! You must know my dears, that I like some aspects in asian culture: Japan's anime and manga, China's novels, and Korean's music, among others. So, August is special bc one of my favorite Korean groups debuted in August and I will be posting my completed fic I have of them.   
> You are not forced to read it. I am just doing it because they are very talented and very special in my heart. I had posted the fic in Asianfanfics under the username KurosakiMafuyu but I closed the account bc I wanted to focus on one writing site.   
> For those interested, wait for it tomorrow, for those who aren't, wait for the update in the Rainbow series!


	50. One step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Knowing about what happened to his Flames, Tsuna unknowingly embarks himself in the fate of being the Vongola Decimo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fridays the 13th, a nice day to update, lol
> 
> I'm not dead, not sick, this is not being dropped, etc, etc...
> 
> Gotta apologize for not updating the fic in a long time, many things happened so I wasn't able to write. However, I was able to go back in track since yesterday and we have a chapter today and the other one will be posted tomorrow. 
> 
> Also, I have decided to set the update schedule to weekends because I will be busy during the other days from now on. I will do my best to keep posting :D 
> 
> I have also decided to finish one of the other fics in the Rainbow series this month. It's the one I have thought up from the moment I started writing it. Want to guess which one is it? You will discover it when the next chapter is updated on Sunday (my Sunday) xD
> 
> Anyway, thanks for waiting, understanding and reading this fic. Hope you enjoy!

_The happy laugh of a kid resounded together with his hurried footsteps as he chased around a ball he had gotten from his Dad. As soon as the ball touched his hands, he asked his Mom and Dad_ _if he could_ _go to the park to play with it. His Mom readily agreed and even sent her Husband with their child to keep an eye on him. And that was how the Father and son pair found themselves in the park. The man contentedly watched his kid happily kicking the ball around until another man approached him to talk about important matters about his job._

_The kid watched how his Dad walked away with another man. He didn’t understand much about the situation; he just knew his Dad often left home due to work, according to his Mom. He wasn’t the most intelligent kid his age but he was still a bit sensible and knew that it was due to his Dad’s work that he and his Mom were able to live in a house and eat good food so he didn’t complain too much. He knew about some kids who_ _se_ _fathers had left them alone with their mothers so he was happy his Dad visited from time to time._

_Not_ _pondering_ _any longer about complicated stuff, he went back to his ball and kicked it very enthusiastically. The ball flew_ _until it_ _went out of the park. The kid chased it frantically as it was a gift from his Dad and he didn’t want to lose it. The ball rolled until it stopped in the middle of the street. The kid was relieved he didn’t lose it and readily went to pick it up. What he failed to_ _notice_ _was the car that was driving down that street as he ran towards the ball._

_The kid heard a car beep as he grabbed the ball and his Dad calling him out. “Tsuna!” Next thing the kid knew was the car_ _was_ _passing in front of him while he remained unscathed. His body felt very comfortable and very warm as if he had just taken a bath before going to sleep. His Dad hurriedly ran towards him and picked him up. “Are you ok? You are not hurt?”_

“ _I’m fine.” Tsuna smiled. He was still a bit scared but any scary thought disappeared as he leaned on his Dad’s arms, missing the complicated expression on his Dad’s face._

_His Dad left the following day, though Tsuna didn’t think it was strange; after all, his Dad never stayed too long. He was more preoccupied by the new experiences in his life. He had been an average kid in his school but after the car incident, his classmates paid more attention to him and were friendlier. He didn’t think too much about it and just continued enjoying his school life while playing with his classmates. However, that changed when his Dad visited again together with an unknown old man._

_The moment he returned from school and entered his house, he knew something would happen. He was unaware from where that feeling came but he had learned to follow it as some sort of instinct, something inherent in him. As if it had been part of him all his life. That feeling grew as soon as he saw the old man who gently smiled at him. The smile forcibly made that bad feeling disappear, or more like, it reduced it a lot yet it was still there._

_There was some sort of contradiction inside him and it grew as his Mom left him alone with his Dad and the old man. He very much wanted to leave with her but his Dad’s grip on his arm prevented him from doing so. He obediently sat beside his Dad as the two men talked. He couldn’t understand a word they were saying, rather, he wasn’t paying attention to anything going on around him as his heart jumped around like a wild rabbit in panic and the feeling to run away increased. He was finally able to break that contradiction inside his mind and was about to leave when he felt a hand fall on his head._

_It was the hand of the old man._

_Fear crept in his being seeing that smile but it all stopped when he felt something in his mind snap. His ears were ringing and the world suddenly turned cold. Such was the shock that he fainted._ _Though b_ _efore fully losing consciousness, he was able to hear the conversation between his Dad and the old man._

“ _The seal is in its place, Iemitsu.”_

“ _Thanks for your help, Nono.”_

“ _Are you sure about this? You know what a seal can do to active Flames, and in a Sky no less.”_

“ _It’s for his own good. You noticed how strong his Flames are; I am afraid they would hurt him instead of help him.”_

“ _The seal will break the more he uses his Flames so he will be able to use them in a couple of years.”_

  


…

  


Tsuna didn’t know how long he had been mulling about the memory he had unlocked with Iolanthe’s help. He was only aware it had been days. The woman had left the day after helping him, on Sunday once she had gone to every single place in town. Tsuna didn’t know what was good about Namimori but she looked very excited strolling around the place. The boy never once left her side while the girl, Adhara if he wasn’t mistaken, never once left Reborn’s side.

The girl didn’t throw a tantrum when leaving like last time but she did look very unwilling to part from her Dad. Tsuna was reminded of the times when he was a kid and also didn’t want his Dad to leave, however, with the years he stopped waiting for his Dad and the more he knew about life, the more he thought his Dad was not good. No Dad would willingly leave their Family behind and even though Reborn wanted to hide it very well, Tsuna was able to discern how much he disliked seeing his daughter saddened like that.

Guilt crept in Tsuna’s heart as he knew it was because Reborn had to tutor him that he had to leave his Family behind. Tsuna unconsciously resolved his heart to make Reborn return faster so his kids wouldn’t be like him: unable to see their Dad in a long time.

“A hideout?”

During lunch in school, as Tsuna was eating with Gokudera and Yamamoto, Reborn suddenly proposed getting a hideout in school. Tsuna remembered his tutor’s hideout which looked very luxurious and comfortable and for a second he thought it didn’t sound so bad. Gokudera and Yamamoto were also very interested in the idea too. The teenager knew Reborn was doing all that to help him become a Mafia Boss and even if he wasn’t sure about becoming one, he had still promised himself to do his best.

However, the place Reborn had chosen as their hideout made him break in cold sweat for some reason. Thanks to his memory, he knew it was his Flames telling him about danger. It was still a faint feeling but it was still there. Despite the bad feeling, he still accompanied his friends to look at the place. That day, he learned that no matter how faint, he should follow his instincts; otherwise, his friend would end up injured.

The moment they entered the Reception Room, Gokudera and Yamamoto were suddenly attacked by someone leaving them unconscious; not even Yamamoto’s fast reflexes helped him avoid a beating. Tsuna’s pupils contracted seeing the one responsible of the attack. Hibari Kyoya, the Head of the Disciplinary Committee in Namimori Junior High. He had witnessed Iolanthe toying with Hibari a couple of days ago but that didn’t mean Hibari wasn’t strong; it just meant Iolanthe was stronger.

His feet subconsciously sidestepped as a sharp gust of wind blew by his face from how fast the tonfa Hibari held was swung. Before Tsuna could celebrate his luck at dodging the attack, another one came directly to his face. With no room to dodge, he lifted his arm to take cover. Pain bloomed from his arm that made him sweat. He knew, then and there, that he would end up like Gokudera and Yamamoto too. Hearing the air whistling in front of him, he knew another hit from the tonfa would fall on him so he resigned himself to his fate.

Seconds passed, yet the hit never came and he slowly opened the eyes he had closed only to end up being the target of Hibari’s sharp gaze.

“You are the little animal from that day.” Hibari said, lowering the tonfa that was mere centimeters away from Tsuna’s face. “You were together with that female carnivore, the two little omnivores and the baby.”

Hibari had been in a bad mood for days since the day he was badly beaten. Well, it shouldn’t be called a beating but he still lost against that carnivore; he had become prey. He should be angry, looking for revenge yet he found himself longing. It was the first time he felt like that so he was unsure what he longed for; if he longed for a battle, for revenge, just to see her… His thoughts had been interrupted when a bunch of herbivores entered his territory, adding his bad mood, he didn’t doubt to attack. With two down, he had lunged towards the third who gave him a familiar feeling until he saw his weak appearance.

And so Hibari recognized Tsuna as the weak little animal who was dragged by Reborn.

“No, no, no! I am nobody! I wasn’t there!” Tsuna knew Hibari had recognized him from that day and thought the older teen wanted to take revenge for witnessing the humiliating scene of being turned into a rabbit and scolded by Iolanthe.

“Let’s talk little animal.” Hibari said grabbing Tsuna by the collar and throwing him on a couch. He sat on the one across and immediately pinned down Tsuna with his gaze, daring him to run away after he had already decided what to do. Tsuna, on the other hand, was extremely uncomfortable and had no idea what to do. His friends were laying there unconscious while he was speaking with the enemy. He didn’t think the situation was fine.

“Uh, um...” Tsuna hemmed and hawed.

“Where is she?” Hibari cut him off

“Huh? Where’s who?”

“The female carnivore, where is she?” Hibari’s gaze turned sharper; he wasn’t very patient.

Tsuna was stumped. For a moment, he didn’t know what the older teen was talking about until he connected the dots and realized Hibari was asking about Iolanthe. “Uh, Io-san returned to her home already. She lives in another country.”

“Io-san...” Hibari tasted the name and agreed that the name suited her. Seeing the older teen’s dreamy gaze, Tsuna suddenly had a damning thought. His own love life was nonexistent but he was able to perceive there was something wrong in the way Hibari looked when talking about Iolanthe. Alright, he couldn’t blame the Head of the Disciplinary Committee as Iolanthe was a cute woman. She had all the features of a mature woman but with a fresh liveliness as if she wasn’t allowed to get old. Not that she was old. Tsuna’s own Mom was older than Iolanthe, actually.

“Hi-hibari-san… Io-san is married and has three kids already.” Tsuna had to say it. He also didn’t want to be part of a scandalous affair like that. However, his goodwill was seen as unnecessary to Hibari.

“I will decide about that, little animal. I don’t need you to meddle.” A tonfa began tapping the couch Hibari was sitting on making Tsuna very nervous. His eyes swiveled and noticed the prone figures of his friends.

Thinking it was better to change the topic than keep talking about the woman married to his tutor. “If there is nothing else, may I take Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto to the infirmary?”

“They are fine, there is nothing broken.” Tsuna startled hearing the voice of his tutor. He somewhat felt ashamed to be talking about his Wife with others so he stuttered as he replied.

“I, that’s… that’s fine, hehe...”

Reborn didn’t need to think to know Tsuna was feeling guilty; his expression said it all. Actually, Reborn knew what the two were talking about. He had sent the three to meet Hibari to fight him as he had noticed the three were growing complacent. And in the Mafia, the least you wanted to do was grow complacent as that meant a sure death. He had also thought Hibari would be an exceptional addition to Tsuna’s Guardians as a Cloud and wanted very much to include the older teenager to the group.

He disliked the fact Hibari somehow fancied his Wife but there was nothing that could be done. Iolanthe was charming like that and he couldn’t keep her hidden. However, he could use that to make Hibari accept being Tsuna’s Guardian; he wouldn’t be a good Mafioso if he didn’t take advantage of the teenager’s feelings. Reborn only had to make sure Hibari didn’t get too close to his Wife. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Iolanthe; rather, he just didn’t want pesky flies around her.

“Potter Iolanthe, 24 years old, English and a Witch. She is a Special Consultant in Curses after being self-taught as she dropped out of school at 17 when she fought in a war. Iolanthe is an orphan with only relatives who don’t care about her but she was able to meet her Godfather until he died during war. She is very strong, very stubborn and very determined. She adopted her first daughter at 20 and not long later, she was asked to raise her Godson. In the eve of her 21st birthday, she gave birth to a daughter and is now pregnant with a boy. She works as the Headmaster of an orphanage/school in Hungary taking care of over 50 kids of all ages. As Tsuna said, she is married and very committed. What are you going to do with this information, Hibari Kyoya?”

Tsuna never thought Reborn would willingly give information about his Wife to others and was unsure as to what he wanted to achieve with it so he just kept silent. Hibari pondered about what the little baby told him. He had tasted, firsthand, her prowess so he didn’t have any doubt about that. The rest of the information was not useful to him but he couldn’t deny it had satisfied his curiosity about her. The question was, what was he really going to do with that information?

“I want to see her.” He said nonchalantly. Whatever, the first thing was to fight her again. Nobody had made his blood boil as she had; so he wanted a fight.

Reborn narrowed his eyes. He had a vague idea as to why Hibari wanted to meet Iolanthe and his request could be fulfilled. The thing was if Reborn wanted to involve Iolanthe in all the Mafia hubbub after all the years trying to minimize her exposure. “On one condition. Fight Tsuna and the others constantly. Depending on how good you perform, you will be allowed to see her.” Reborn finally put the cards on the table. Apart from giving Tsuna and the others the chance to get stronger, it would test Hibari in how he fitted with the group; after all…

“I hate crowding.” Hibari said with a frown. Exactly, As a Cloud, Hibari didn’t like to be restrained. Making groups, or crowding as he put it, meant he would need to gather with people.

“That’s your problem. If you can’t even do that, then you are not worth seeing Iolanthe since she likes crowding; the more the better.” Reborn smiled mischievously. How determined Hibari was with seeing Iolanthe, he would see it in the following days. “Let’s go Tsuna. Gokudera and Yamamoto need medical attention.”

Tsuna discovered many things after that meeting. Dr. Shamal had become the new doctor at school with only girls allowed inside and the nefarious deal between Hibari and Reborn was bad for his health. He had been constantly attacked by Hibari under all kind of excuses together with Gokudera and Yamamoto. He couldn’t even rest during the Athletic Fest where Tsuna was forced to become the leader of Team A. It could be said that they had chosen the worst leader in the history of leaders.

Luckily, they still had Yamamoto who could win all the events he participated in; though that earned Tsuna the scolding of Ryohei about not trying his best. Gokudera as always was thinking differently, believing Tsuna was saving his strength for the main event: The Pole Knocking Event. As the leader, he had to be at the top of the pole while his team members curbed the efforts of the enemies to knock him down. Being on top wasn’t easy either since he would be pulled down, kicked, punched and what not.

Being the leader wasn’t the hardest part of the competition though. It was the fact that they had to fight against Team B and C who had united through a series of circumstances that involved Gokudera, Ryohei and Reborn beating up the leader of the opposing teams. As a result, the leader for the union became Hibari who took his role of fighting against him very seriously. Needless to say, Tsuna was beaten up not only by Hibari but by his own teammates as it was his fault they had lost. Not even the Dying Will Bullet had helped him. It should have been fine to be beaten up, though what was not nice was the fact he was beaten up in front of his Mom, Bianchi and Haru.

He had been too absorbed in himself that Tsuna hadn’t noticed Bianchi and Haru were a constant in his house thanks to his Mom who lacked common sense and let anyone in without any care in the world. Also, after what happened last time with Bianchi, Reborn disappeared whenever the woman was near; sadly, Tsuna couldn’t do the same whenever Haru was around and was subjected to her intense gaze. To say he was uncomfortable and scared by her was an understatement. It all stemmed from the fact she left a bad first impression on him.

If that was not enough, then dealing with his very first murder was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The previous days had been full of something or the other that seeing the dead person on his bed only left him dazed for a couple of seconds before reacting.

“This is not happening. This is a dream.” And so he went back to sleep.

“It’s not a dream, you killed someone Tsuna. The gun is still in your hand.” Reborn said calmly, assessing the teenager’s reaction.

“It can’t be!!” Tsuna yelled in his pillow when he confirmed there really was a gun in his hand. Then he descended into hysterics. “What am I going to do?! I killed someone! What should I tell my Mom?! What about my friends?! No! They can’t see it! Nobody can! Reborn, hide it! Let’s hide it now!”

Reborn was a bit impressed. Putting aside the whining and crying, Tsuna had started to think like a Mafia Boss if he wanted to hide the corpse. However, hiding a corpse required more than just deciding to do it. For example, taking care of witnesses.

“Look, Tsuna! What do you think about my costume for the play at the cultural fair?” Like a random Haru who enters another person’s house as if nothing. “Oh, you are rehearsing too? What’s the play about to have such a realistic death?”

“No, I really killed him.” Tsuna somberly confessed and even lifted the hand with the gun making Haru blanch then pale. She even stepped back subconsciously seeing the somewhat calm demeanor of Tsuna who was thinking how to get rid of the corpse to avoid more people from seeing it. Yet he wouldn’t be Tsuna if whatever he thought about would go as he planned.

“Tsuna!”

“Juudaime!”

 _Right. It could have been worse_ , Tsuna thought. If Reborn has his own way, then Gokudera and Yamamoto would follow him to the Mafia World, which Gokudera was already part of. So, having them beside him was not that bad. That’s why he told them about what had happened and pointed at the corpse on his bed.

“Well, it’s not for sure that you did it.” Yamamoto said after hearing the story.

“That’s right. More like, is he really dead?” Gokudera seconded and looked very eager to help Tsuna in his conundrum. “We learned about this in the Academy. Simple ways to identify a dead person, check if he has a heartbeat, if he’s breathing and if his pupils are dilated.” He explained looking at Yamamoto clearly telling him to check.

“Hm, the pupils are dilated.” Yamamoto said looking directly into the dead body’s eyes. Then he took out a piece of paper and put it in front of the corpse’s nose. Seeing as the paper didn’t move, he concluded, “he’s not breathing.” And finally, he approached the body and listened the heart. “...not beating.”

The atmosphere suddenly became gloomy as the four teenagers looked at each other. “I say… let’s hide it?” Tsuna proposed breaking the silence.

The others hesitated for a few seconds before slowly nodding. There was nothing they could do in that situation. Calling the police would result in Tsuna going to jail even if they didn’t think he had actually done it; it was Tsuna, after all. Growing up in the Mafia, Gokudera calmly looked at the dead body and started thinking about what he could do to hide the body and to silence the only civilian in the room: Haru. Yamamoto for his part, stopped thinking that it was a game. No matter how laid back and carefree he was, he had noticed that whatever Tsuna, Gokudera or Reborn were talking about, it was not a joke.

“Don’t worry, Tsuna. You have a person who can take care of this.” Reborn interjected as he saw the seriousness in everybody’s countenance. He inwardly approved how they reacted before the situation although it was still not up to par. Even Haru was keeping quiet in the corner; for a civilian, she was fine.

Before Tsuna could ask who that person was, there was a sudden noise of a motorcycle and seconds later, a person climbed up from the window.

“Yo.”

“Hibari!!”

The three guys had a certain trauma with Hibari appearing out of nowhere after all the times they were ambushed by him. Tsuna was well aware of the reason yet Gokudera and Yamamoto were still ignorant of the deal between Reborn and Hibari making them think that he was getting petty revenge for invading the Reception Room back then. Their fighting saw some progress, or at least their reactions and dodging maneuvers, which was good news to Reborn. Though the fact that Hibari refused to fight with Ryohei as he hated crowding was a downside.

Reborn, however, wasn’t too concerned. He would find another way to train Ryohei later on.

“I didn’t come to play with you guys,” Hibari explained seeing the tense faces of the three. “I came to dispose of a corpse for you.” He inspected the dead body and then nodded. “Good job. Right in the heart. Ok, I will send someone from the Disciplinary Committee later.”

“You are using the Committee to cover up a murder?!” Tsuna didn’t know what to think anymore. If he should respect Hibari or be more afraid of him. What was that guy up to normally if he could easily speak about hiding corpses?

Yamamoto somehow concluded that if it was Hibari, then things like hiding a body were normal. That’s why he didn’t think too much about it. It was Gokudera who was unhappy with the situation. As the self-proclaimed right hand man of the Vongola Decimo, it should have been his job to take care of a mere corpse. Being raised in the Mafia, dead bodies were a commonality and he had reacted like a civilian seeing their first murder when it was not the case. He was ashamed of himself and did what any Storm would do, retaliate against the person who made him feel like that.

“Damn Hibari, I will take care of you today!” Gokudera exclaimed lighting up a cigarette and throwing his dynamite towards Hibari.

“Tch. So eager to die.” Hibari commented while deflecting the dynamite and sending it back to the owner with a tonfa. Hibari wouldn’t admit he had been having fun teaching those herbivores a lesson if only to be able to see that carnivore again. He could have gone to search for her on his own but the baby had only told him she was in Hungary, not where specifically and something told him she wouldn’t be easy to find. So he would make use of what was presented to him. After hearing the explosion, he left.

Up in the blown up room, a commotion suddenly rose up. The dead body resulted to be a Mafioso named Moretti who had mastered the technique called ‘Addio’ which helped him achieve a state of apparent death. He was even part of the Vongola Famiglia and had arrived to Japan to meet the Decimo and help Reborn with the task of making Tsuna get used to dead bodies. The teenager had reacted better than expected considering his cowardly behavior most of the time. He was still far from becoming a Mafia Boss but that day, he had taken his first step.

“So, why are we going to Yamamoto’s sushi shop?”

Tsuna recognized the way towards the place as he had visited when Iolanthe invited him to eat. He had also discovered that the place was run by Yamamoto’s Dad. Talking about Yamamoto, he and Gokudera had been acting strangely the previous days. They had been avoiding him, not even Hibari ambushed him as often as before and then Reborn told him he was going to invite him to eat. It was really suspicious. Unless…

“Happy Birthday!”

Eh?

“Thank you.” Reborn replied to the greetings of the people gathered at the restaurant.

Eh?!

“It is your birthday?!” Tsuna asked pointing at Reborn. He had thought…

“You thought they were preparing for your birthday?” Reborn guessed the teenager’s thoughts.

It couldn’t be helped that Tsuna had assumed that as their birthdays were one day after another; with Reborn’s being first. Either way, Reborn had invited Tsuna’s Family which included Nana, Gokudera, Yamamoto, Lambo, Haru and even the Sasagawa siblings. Hibari was sitting in a secluded corner since Reborn had promise him something good at the end of the celebration. Bianchi was there to Reborn’s unhappiness but that was due to Nana inviting her. But well, there was always the unwanted guest in parties so he let it slide.

After finally understanding what was going on, Tsuna decided to forget about it and just enjoy the party. As he had never had friends, it wasn’t a great loss if they didn’t celebrate his birthday. He had the enough knowing the fact that he actually had friends to celebrate something with. Though, he would have done without the radical Vongolian Birthday Party and the rule to die if you were to score the lowest after your present or performance was graded. Like that, he wouldn’t have ended up with sprained muscles for his Magic Trick with Gokudera.

“Yawn~ What are you doing so late at night, Reborn?” A sleepy Tsuna asked glancing at his clock that marked midnight. “And why are the others here?” He then glanced at Gokudera, Yamamoto, Lambo and Ryohei who had stayed at his house, and Hibari who had entered his room by the window again.

“Your birthday present.” Reborn announced as he took out a vial with a silvery content in it. Next, he uncovered the Pensieve that had been brought by Mimi while they were out in the afternoon. He explained about the use of a Pensieve and what the silvery liquid was. A memory.

Tsuna’s grogginess disappeared hearing that and got curious. What kind of present required the assistance of his friends and the usage of such a strange object? The thing even floated on its own. He watched Reborn slip the silvery substance into the water into the basin and ordered them to lean over it. Nobody moved despite Reborn’s demonstration telling them it was rather safe until Tsuna took a deep breath and leaned over the basin. The moment his face touch the cold water, he felt as if he was falling until he landed on a seat.

He looked around and noticed a crowd of teens and kids cheering and swinging little flags around of different colors. The next second, he saw someone flying at high speed right in front of him and he startled. With the crowd cheering, he tentatively opened his eyes only to gape at what he was witnessing. There were people flying around in brooms and they looked as if they were playing some sort of sport. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the others had also decided to lean over the basin and were also gaping at the scene in front of them.

However, they soon settled down and started to either look around the place, trying to ask a teen nearby what was going on, or cheer like Lambo while Ryohei screamed around “Extreme!” whenever someone in the brooms did a daunting maneuver. To Tsuna it looked very dangerous and something he wouldn’t try in his life.

His attention however was taken away by the voice that was narrating the game. He felt as if the turmoil in his head disappeared, though he hadn’t known his mind was in turmoil. Yet it was like that. Thanks to the simple explanation from Iolanthe and what he knew about himself, he realized that after hearing that voice, his Flames were no longer trying to reach out for someone; instead, they laid placidly inside him basking in the softness of the voice. For the first time in his life, Tsuna felt right. His eyes meandered about and finally stopped at the figure of a blonde pre-teen with a microphone like device in her hands, lively talking about what she saw about the game.

Tsuna couldn’t understand what she was saying as she spoke in English but he only needed to hear her voice to know his peacefulness was due to her.

“It feels strange hearing her voice.” Gokudera suddenly commented also looking at the blonde girl. He had given up trying to strike up a conversation with the people around as he couldn’t interact with anybody there.

“She’s manipulating your emotions.” Hibari observed his eyes never straying from the woman with green eyes and unruly hair sitting in the middle of the crowd smiling widely and cheering from time to time. He had noticed that girl in passing.

“Not in a bad way, though,” Yamamoto interjected. “She seems to be livening up the mood of the game. It is very subtle but efficient. If you get carried away, you can end up like Ryohei-senpai and Lambo.” The others turned to look at the pumped up Sasagawa Ryohei cheering like crazy and the laughing Lambo even if they didn’t understand what kind of game they were seeing.

“She is not manipulating your emotions, she is fixing them to match the surroundings.” Reborn suddenly explained. “Lisa is a Spiritual Healer who cures any imbalance in a person. Right now, she is curing you of any imperfect emotion in your heart and mind and is letting you enjoy the game wholeheartedly. Of course, as Yamamoto said, it is subtle so the effect will disappear once the game ends. You can also choose to ignore it as long as you focus.”

“What about Flames?” Tsuna suddenly blurted out getting the attention of the others.

Reborn’s eyes flashed and turned pensive. “Lisa is a person with perfect balance so she can consciously and unconsciously make everything around her balanced. She can deal with Disharmony too, which is an imbalance of Sky Flames.” He surmised. He knew little about how her Magick worked but he knew the basics to come up with a solid explanation to Tsuna’s question. And he wasn’t far off.

Tsuna slowly nodded somewhat understanding Reborn’s words despite never having heard of a Spiritual Healer. Yet the fact he could fully experience her Magick was all he needed. His eyes once again looked at the girl.

Twelve-year-old Lisa had dirty blonde hair split down the middle, had average height and her weight was just right. Her facial features were very average too with an ample forehead though her eyes were grey. However, the fact she was completely balanced made her very pleasing to the eyes, very beautiful. Together with her soft and enchanting voice, she was very popular among the boys in the Castle. And Tsuna wasn’t exempt from her charms as he stared at her. By some crazy coincidence, she turned to look at his direction and her eyes stared directly at his.

Tsuna felt his mind explode and then turn blank. It was barely a second-long contact but it was enough for his face to turn the reddest shade and his heart to beat like crazy. His reaction was even stronger than when he first saw Kyoko.

He was so dazed that he missed the whole game and only came back to himself when the surroundings changed. No longer being able to hear her voice, he felt a great loss not only in his heart but in his whole being as it turned tumultuous again due to the Disharmony. His attention, however, was taken by the comfortable living room he found himself in. More like, everybody was in there. The warm colors in the room made it very cozy, which matched the furniture and the many frames with pictures -moving pictures- only added to the homely feeling in it.

All the guys curiously peered at the interesting pictures. In them, the same family of five appeared. The same beautiful woman, the same bejewelled girl, the same turquoise-haired boy, the same mischievous-looking girl and the same formally dressed baby. The five were photographed in different situations; while partying, while eating, while enjoying a summer day, while decorating a Christmas tree, while cooking, while exercising. There were even pictures of the five dressed up for Halloween which looked very funny. All in all, they portrayed a happy family.

As they were immersed in the family pictures, sparks started falling from the sky and forming letters that created the words ‘Happy Birthday’. The door suddenly opened and in came Iolanthe carrying a cake with the kids on tow.

“With Dad not here, are we going to eat his cake, Mom?” The turquoise-haired boy asked in English which Gokudera helpfully translated for those who didn’t understand.

“This is Tsunayoshi’s cake, Teddy bear.” Iolanthe replied putting the cake on a table.

“What about Daddy’s?” Adhara asked pouting.

“Daddy doesn’t have a cake because two little girls said they were going to make it themselves but have totally forgotten about it.” Iolanthe said with a knowing smile.

The oldest girl, Farid, instantly blushed. _**“I didn’t forget…”**_ she said fidgeting. _**“It didn’t turn out well.”**_ She softly confessed. Reborn snorted hearing his eldest daughter. Farid wasn’t skilled at cooking and her dishes were passable at best. There wasn’t a time Reborn didn’t eat burnt chocolates from her on Valentine’s. Of course he didn’t voice out what she had said to the guys as they waited for him to interpret; his daughter’s weaknesses could only be known by the Family.

“We must make a cake, sis!” Adhara exclaimed with sparkling eyes turning to look at Farid who only wryly smiled and nodded. Reborn knew the resulting cake would make him run to the bathroom if the two girls decided to make it on their own with no help. He only hoped Iolanthe took pity on him and helped them.

“Alright, let’s congratulate Tsunayoshi on his birthday hoping he stays healthy and that he learns a lot from his home tutor as well as his friends who are his Family.” Iolanthe announced after lighting the candle in the middle of the cake.

“Happy Birthday, Tsunayoshi!” The four chanted.

With that, they were ejected from the Pensieve only to see the cake from the memory in Tsuna’s room with the candle burning.

“Happy birthday, Tsuna!” Yamamoto said with a wide smile on his face easily guessing what had happened.

“Happy birthday, Juudaime!” Gokudera followed.

“Congratulations, Sawada!” Ryohei almost yelled but remembered it was late at night and was able to speak softly.

“Gahaha! Lambo-san will eat cake!” The kid exclaimed drooling over the cake.

“Hurry up, little animal, I have better things to do.” Hibari ended up the string of congratulations gesturing at the cake.

Tsuna felt very overwhelmed by everything he had just seen but still blew out the candle leaving the room in darkness. The lights were turned on by Reborn who put a red and gold scarf on the table.

“Iolanthe sent this present to you.” He said. Never before had Tsuna received a present on his birthday. His Mom usually forgot about it and gave him something days later. The scarf was his very first present he had received and it came from a person who had only seen him once. There were no words to express how he was feeling yet he liked it. Everything that he received and gained after Reborn appeared before him, he liked it.

Tsuna wouldn’t be so happy if he knew Reborn actually hid the real present sent by Iolanthe. The scarf was actually a Portkey timed to activate during the Christmas Holidays as Tsuna and his friends were invited to visit the Castle in Hungary. Reborn was going to make them experience their first Portkey without knowing about it and he was anticipating their reactions to it.

He could already see it. Their screaming faces and how they fell face first on the Quidditch pitch in the Castle in front of everybody. Ah, it had been some time since he played a prank; he got to make the best out of it.

  
  



	51. One year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People are starting to move and Iolanthe only has one year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter coming right up!
> 
> The chapter for the series I will update this month will be posted at night (still noon here) so wait for it!
> 
> Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading!

The sole of the slippers slapped on the pavement while slurping sounds accompanied them.

“Hm, it must be around here.” The voice of a man mumbled while looking around the quaint neighborhood. His eyes stopped at the castle like mansion which somehow forced him to ignore it yet his feet decisively took him there. He continued to slurp his noodles until he finished them. “Ha, cup noodles are not the same as traditional ramen.” He lamented while staring at the empty cup. Either way, he had already arrived at the front door of the castle/mansion and was able to hear the muffle voices of kids behind the door.

He grabbed the knocker and impacted it against the door. Silence ensued behind the door and he waited. Soon, the voice of a woman sounded instructing the kids to return to their activities. Life returned to the place while the door opened to present the woman who had spoken.

_Clatter_

The cup which used to contain the noodles fell to the ground as the hold in his hand slackened. The man stood there stiff and with an incredulous expression on his face. “Cordelia?”

The woman frown. “I’m sorry, you got the wrong person.”

The man paused hearing the woman’s voice successfully making him truly notice the differences between the person he knew and the one in front of him. “I did make a mistake.” He sheepishly admitted but the fact they looked alike made him doubt and ask. “Do you, by any chance, know a Cordelia Potter?”

It was the woman’s turn to pause. A crazy thought crossed her mind and she pondered for a few seconds before moving aside. “Please come in.” She invited. As soon as the man walked in, she closed the door and then headed towards the yard in the middle of the building. A couple of teens were flying above her head but she kept walking as she even crossed the building in the back, entering the back field. She didn’t pause in her steps until she arrived at a two story house hidden behind a copse of trees. She slashed her hand before it prior to opening the door and waiting for the man to enter.

The man had been looking around the place in wonder and a healthy amount of trepidation. The pregnant woman leading him gave him some sort of pressure that he had never felt before in his long, long life. She had a presence out of this world, as if she didn’t belong among mortals. However, she looked as if she enjoyed mingling with humans if the living room full of pictures was anything to go by. She had a family and he could recognize one person in those pictures. It was because of that person and what she was doing to him that the man was there.

What he didn’t expect were the words from her.

“Harrison, I found your Father.” The man almost choked.

“Damn brat! How many times have I told you to show respect to your elders!? In my times you would have been punished for your mouth, Iolanthe!” A middle-aged man suddenly scolded from a lone frame in the room.

“These are different times, Harrison. Anyway, you didn’t hear what I said? Your Father is here, alive, and he mistook me for your Mother, Cordelia.” Iolanthe dismissed and pointed at the dazed man in her living room.

Portrait Lord Harrison finally noticed the strange dressed man with white hair and round glasses looking at him as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Portrait Lord Harrison himself couldn’t believe his Father was still alive. He had easily recognized the man because his Mother had made a painting of him which was buried together with her when she died. When Portrait Lord Harrison had been alive, he had looked everywhere in Italy for the man standing in front of him yet wasn’t able to find even his shadow and had to return to England after he gave up his search.

He never thought he would be able to find his Father years later, or that the man was still alive. However, being a Wizard made one impervious to all sort of crazy possibilities. He wanted to ask so many things to him but his mind could only come up with one question. “Have you visited her grave?”

The man finally regained his bearings and answered. “After I knew she died, I went. I also discovered she had a son of mine but I didn’t have the courage to visit you.” The man knew the middle-aged Harrison in the portrait was his son. Portrait Harrison looked like Cordelia, like a Potter but there were still some features in him that were the same as the man, easily making the latter recognize him as his son. His dead son. It wasn’t surprising as it had been so long. “Are there others?” He softly asked.

“I had a son, Charlus.” Portrait Harrison said easily guessing what the man meant. “He married late to Dorea Black and I died before knowing if they had kids of their own.”

“That branch of the Family died in a raid by Death Eaters. Charlus and Dorea had a small son who also died with them.” Iolanthe commented as she prepared herself a cup of tea and sat on the armchair. She was entering her eight month so her belly was already very big and she couldn’t spend a lot of time standing. The two men stayed silent digesting the information they just heard. Both their descendants were dead with no possibility to appear again. Portrait Harrison still had Iolanthe, her grand-niece; the man, however… “Sit down, I am sure you have important matters to talk with me, Mr....”

“My name is Kawahira.” The man answered after being prompted and sitting on the couch across Iolanthe.

“Alright, Mr. Kawahira. I guess you have come from the Mafia World… oh, don’t look like that.” Iolanthe chuckled seeing the stiff expression on Kawahira. “It was because of you that Harrison there went in a crusade to look for his long lost Daddy in Italy meeting someone from the Sinclair line and signing a marriage contract resulting in my marriage with the Sun Arcobaleno who, I am sure, you are here for.” She gently put the tea on the saucer and placidly looked at Kawahira who suddenly had a serious expression.

“You are disrupting the Trinisette.” Kawahira spoke with a stern tone.

“I am not disrupting anything, Mr. Kawahira.” Iolanthe interjected. “If anything, I must be disrupting that sick game your counterpart has created.”

Kawahira jerked back. “How did you...”

“I know a lot of things Mr. Kawahira. Never think that I am just a simple housewife or that I have been idle for years. You might be an old being, Mr. Kawahira but no matter how old, you are still under the jurisdiction of Death, and as the Master of Death I have power over you, Mr. Kawahira.” Iolanthe softly said.

The room suddenly was filled with a heavy pressure that made Kawahira sweat. Throughout the years, he had thought himself above others, above humans, above mortals; no one was his equal. Yet, the pressure Iolanthe exuded was enough to make him fear and feel so, so tiny before her. He almost saw a shadowy figure behind her who looked at him with a detached stare, as if he was nothing. His mind glimpse and then it all made sense to him.

“I understand.” He said with great effort. The pressure vanished and he sighed relieved. Iolanthe let him recover his breath while she sipped her tea. “The Trinisette must always have people looking over it. I have always made sure that those bearing the Pacifier are always there. As for the rings, the first test will come soon. I just want to make sure you don’t interfere as you have done with the Arcobalenos.”

“Have you ever loved someone, Mr. Kawahira?” Iolanthe asked all of a sudden making the man freeze. His eyes inadvertently moved towards the frame where Cordelia’s son was listening to their conversation. “If you have, you must know that one can do anything for those they love. I have never been a selfish person but for once I just want my Husband to be a normal man and if messing with the Arcobaleno Curse is the prerequisite for it, then so be it; I will interfere there. You must also know that I am not the only one tinkering around with the Curse but I assure you, I will be the one who succeeds.”

Kawahira was reminded of Cordelia. The woman who told him with great determination and self-confidence that she would remain by his side; that no matter what, he would be the only man she would love in her life. In the end, it had been him who stepped back and disappeared from her life. He had, however, always looked at her from afar until the day she died. And just as she promised, she never married and stood with a straight back before the criticism of people who labeled her as shameless for having a kid out of wedlock.

In a way, he regretted.

Potter women were stubborn, selfless, very fierce and very loyal, ready to give love but in turn they needed to be taken care of, pampered, protected and loved as if the world itself was ending. Kawahira had understood that too late. Glancing at a picture of the family of five which stood in front of a Christmas tree, his mood turned complicated seeing the baby with the Pacifier being lovingly held by Iolanthe. He knew the Sun Arcobaleno would become like him if he continue bearing the Curse. Yet the woman in front of him vowed she would do something about it.

Anticipation filled his body. Cordelia had been a brave woman back then but Iolanthe was beyond brave. She could make you believe in the impossible.

“You have a year to succeed, Iolanthe Potter. In a year, the new Arcobalenos will be chosen. I am sure you know what happens to the old Arcobalenos, so show me how selfish you can be.” Saying so, Kawahira stood up and walked out of the house. Once outside, he turned towards the direction of a very strong Sun Flame. He smiled to then make his way out of the Castle; he didn’t want to stay anymore in a place where he felt observed.

Inside the house, Iolanthe sighed and gently rubbed her belly. Her son was a very lazy baby and barely moved. He was healthy and nothing was wrong with him so she wasn’t worried. Thinking about the fact her son would be born by the end of the year or the beginning of the next year, her face bloomed into a smile. That was why she had invited her Husband’s student together with his friends for the Christmas Holidays. If lucky, then her Husband wouldn’t miss the birth of their son.

The front door opened an in came a smiling Adhara. “Mama! Dino’s here!” And she was dragging a helpless Dino with her.

Despite not being Reborn’s student anymore, Dino always made sure to visit his former tutor and Iolanthe. After all, he had learned from both of them to become a Mafia Boss and he was really grateful. Of course, Reborn always lamented the fact Dino though, fought and live for the Famiglia that he had bizarrely become completely useless without his subordinates. Iolanthe had mused that maybe Dino had created a bond-like Harmonization with his entire Famiglia. Not a complete bond but one that made him depend on them. Reborn had accepted that explanation since there was no other way to explain Dino’s case.

“It’s nice to see you, Dino, please have a seat.” Iolanthe greeted him while gesturing towards the couch Kawahira had vacated. Lord Harrison had also left as soon as he saw his Father leave. “What brings you here? Do you need more Venomous Tentacula? We also have a new batch of Mandragoras if you are interested.” She offered. Since that day her Husband and Dino had taken her plants without permission, Dino had been acquiring more and more with the years as they helped him defend the Cavallone Headquarters and mansion.

“Not today, Iolanthe.” Dino said with a shy smile. He had accepted some time ago that he had a crush on her. However, he was aware that Reborn would kill him the moment he knew about it, so he minimized the contact he had with her. He still got nervous around her, though, easily betraying his emotions. Reborn, in fact, already knew about Dino’s crush but decided to let the young man be. As long as he didn’t try anything on Iolanthe, he was fine with him meeting her. “I am just passing by. Vongola Nono has tasked the allied Famiglias to establish connections outside Italy to prepare for Vongola Decimo.”

“As always, Timoteo sending his pawns to do the dirty job.” Iolanthe sighed. Dino chuckled helplessly.

It was an open secret that Iolanthe somehow disliked Timoteo Vongola due to what he did with Xanxus. Dino himself was biased towards the fellow young Sky and was also one of the few people who knew that Xanxus was already out of his prison. He had discovered it by chance when he visited the Castle while Xanxus was visiting too. It had been awkward and Dino almost died under the hands of Xanxus who was scolded by Iolanthe for being an impulsive brat that only knew how to act violently. Needless to say, the Head of the Varia retaliated only to be soundly beaten by Iolanthe.

The guy sulked and pettily went to bother little Farid in her training. A prank war began after that in which Dino somehow ended up hallucinating about flying zebras.

“I also heard you have an Arcobaleno dwelling in the Castle.” Dino tactfully changed the topic to less a less troublesome one.

“That was due to Skull.” Iolanthe smiled. “As soon as my Husband left to Japan, Skull boisterously claimed the castle was his again and went to brag to his other fellow Arcobalenos. After that, the Storm Arcobaleno, Fon came to visit and eventually stayed noticing the potential of some of the kids in Martial Arts. He has become a teacher here and is being paid for it.”

Dino’s mouth twitched. Among the Arcobalenos, Skull was the one who didn’t look or act like one. He wasn’t skilled like Reborn, an expert like Fon, intelligent like Verde, cunning like Mammon, resourceful like Lal Mirch or had presence like Colonnello. In fact, he even turned like a puppy whenever he was around Iolanthe seeking for praise or something fun to do. He was the very first to suggest a prank war or any other leisure activity. He did suffer, though, whenever Iolanthe wanted to test the limits of his immortal body. Those were sad days for Skull.

“At least he helped you get a teacher for the kids.” Dino commented reaching for one of the pastries on the table only for it to be snatched by a small hand. He looked at Adhara who had been silent the whole time as she had been wolfing down the pastries. “I heard Teddy is training with Fon, so only this little one is free now?” He asked patting her head to which she only smiled. Dino still marveled at the fact she looked similar to Reborn but in girl. It was funny but at the same time scary.

“Yes, with neither of her siblings around, she doesn’t know what to do.” Iolanthe said looking at her youngest daughter with pastry crumbles on her face. “She may look like Renato but she is a Potter through and through.” She chuckled. Iolanthe was immensely relieved when she finally worked out Adhara’s personality. It turned out the reason she loved being with her Dad was due to the strong Active aspect of his Flames. As a Potter, she was always restless, always wanting to do something, adding her Sun Flames she was a short firecracker.

And her Dad’s Flames helped subdue her Flames as they were still untrained. So, she always looked for that person who kept her Flames in place and with him gone, she tended to lash out to anybody who resonated differently with her. Mainly Iolanthe herself as she was a Potter who also was an active person and her Magic just made Adhara even more restless. As soon as Iolanthe discovered that, she kept Adhara with a really low doses of Calming Potion until she could control her Flames. Draco had even made sure the doses wasn’t harmful for the toddler.

Iolanthe had sent a letter to her Husband with the discovery and he had promised to come up with an easy way to start training her Flames while he was away. Though he expressed he wanted to implement it personally first so they needed to wait until the Christmas Holidays. Seeing Dino getting along with Adhara, an idea suddenly popped in Iolanthe’s mind. After taking care of that, he would need to send a couple of letters.

“Say, Dino, can I ask you for a big favor?”

Dino’s heart skipped a bit seeing her smile. Not only because she looked pretty but because he suddenly had a bad premonition.

  


…

  


Meanwhile in Japan, Tsuna acquired another kid to his collection of kids living in his house.

I-pin, according to Reborn, was a Chinese assassin able to use the Gyoza-ken to fight; which was basically compressing the smell of Gyoza to deceive a person’s nerve system and move on their own as if they were attacked. It was a very efficient technique but less frightening than the Pinzu-Timed Super Explosion. I-pin was also known as the ‘Human Bomb’ due to that technique that activates when she gets extremely shy and a countdown from nine to one appears on her forehead. One advantage of having I-pin in the house was that Lambo had someone to play with.

Even if they didn’t choose the right time and place to play in.

_Splat!_

“You aimed for mine on purpose, huh?!” Gokudera growled grabbing Lambo by the collar after the kid had stepped on his intent at art for Yamamoto and Tsuna’s Supplementary Class. The three teenagers seemed to be pants in the Art Class and Lambo ruining their efforts put Gokudera on edge.

“What do you think you are doing, Gokudera-san?! You can’t bully children like that!” A Haru suddenly entered the room. Tsuna knew it was his Mom’s work though he still felt creeped out by Haru coming in and out of his house as if it was hers. Neither Gokudera and Yamamoto could say anything about her habits but there was someone who still could say something due to her extreme nearsightedness.

“It’s a Dumpling Monster!” I-pin exclaimed while pointing at Haru; which Reborn helpfully translated as nobody understood what she was saying.

That made the atmosphere mellow out as Haru wallowed in the misery of being called a dumpling monster. And discovering I-pin had really bad sight, she tried to help by lending her Dad’s glasses to the little girl which helped in clearly identifying everybody though it all soon descended into a mess as Lambo and I-pin started fighting. Compare to I-pin, Lambo was a really weak kid and easily lost to her which made him use the Ten-Year Bazooka on her. As the smoke dissipated, a teenager I-pin appeared in front of everybody.

“Why… This was my last delivery before going dress picking.” I-pin sighed. “I don’t know where I am and the noodles will get soggy soon. Mr. Kawahira will get mad.”

“No way, I-pin is speaking fluent Japanese.” Tsuna’s voice interrupted her mumbling.

“Oh! It’s Sawada-san! Wow, you look really young. Just yesterday, you were looking really dashing in a suit for the wedding!” I-pin said making everybody freeze.

“Wedding?” Tsuna faintly asked with a pale face.

“Whose?” Yamamoto also wondered

“It isn’t the Juudaime’s, right?!” Gokudera asked in a high-pitched voice. It couldn’t be helped, they were teenagers; the least they wanted was to get married.

“Tsuna-san!” Haru cried out suddenly panicking.

“No, no, no! It isn’t Sawada-san’s.” I-pin hurriedly denied seeing the frantic faces of everybody in the room. “It is Big sis Farid’s wedding!” She disclosed. Her words relieved all the teenagers but one specific person felt as if his world was crumbling.

However, before Reborn could ask more details, the effect of the Ten-Year Bazooka ended and they were face to face with kid I-pin again. That left the Hitman with the unresolved mystery of who his daughter was marrying, if he had allowed it, if he had at least beaten up the man she was marrying to… if he was actually still alive by the time she married. Sometimes he felt breathless and that his Flames were flickering out of existence. He had started wondering if his time was coming. He had no time to ponder longer about it as an unexpected guest arrived at Tsuna’s house.

Right after bailing out Tsuna from jail when he was arrested for strutting around the streets in only his underwear as he capture a trio of pickpockets, Reborn and Tsuna were faced with a group of Mafiosi strolling outside Tsuna’s house.

“Welcome back, Reborn!” The Mafiosi easily recognized the Hitman and let him pass.

“Oi, Reborn, what’s going on?” Tsuna warily asked.

“I guess I know who is inside.” Reborn said. The moment the two entered the house, a small figure jumped up and latched onto the Arcobaleno’s body. “Adhara? What are you doing here? Is your Mom with you?” Reborn rapidly asked, his heart injected with happiness at the thought of seeing Iolanthe.

“Iolanthe didn’t come. It’s just Adhara and me.” The voice of a man sounded.

And so Tsuna met the Bucking Horse Dino, the Tenth Boss of the Cavallone Famiglia. Reborn’s previous student making him Tsuna’s senior apprentice. Dino had blonde hair and brown eyes, he was handsome and had a plethora of tattoos on his arms. He didn’t look like a Mafia Boss with his casual clothes but there was a certain aura in him that made Tsuna very nervous. His own Flames obviously telling him that the young man in front of him was dangerous. Apart from that, Dino had discerning eyes and guessed Tsuna’s situation at a glance.

“He’s no good. He doesn’t have an aura, the way he presents himself is terrible, he looks unambitious and unlucky, too. His disposition to be a Mafia Boss is nil.” Tsuna would have done without the hurtful judgement, though. “Well, I was once like you but after Reborn’s training, I became an amazing Mafia Boss and you will become one too.” Tsuna felt touched for a moment hearing someone believe in him. “You need to be tested, though.” Dino said with a cheerful voice.

Reborn’s eyes flashed but remained silent.

“So, why do I have to fight a little girl?” Tsuna asked while looking at Adhara who was acting like a docile cat around Reborn.

“Never underestimate your opponent, Tsuna. Adhara has been training with me these couple of days, so she’s very strong.” Dino commented looking from the side. They were gathered at the park near Tsuna’s house for the test.

Tsuna doubted that very much but he couldn’t say no to Dino who was expecting him to do something. Looking at Adhara again, he saw her skipping all the way until she stood in front of him. She reached him until the top of his thighs which was tall for her age but she still looked very fragile with her soft yellow dress and spiky pigtails due to her unruly hair. Tsuna sighed and resolved himself on going easy on her, perhaps a push and be done with it. With a decision in mind, he put it in practice. Taking a step, he extended his arm to push her only for something inside him to alert him of imminent danger.

He subconsciously sidestepped and a gust of air blew by his side ripping his pants. Cold sweat formed on his forehead and back, his eyes staring at the little girl who had also taken a step forward and her palm was extended. It was that palm strike that had created that gust of air. If he hadn’t dodge it, he would have ended up with a fracture of something broken, he knew. He had no other choice but to really take the girl seriously or as seriously as he could take a three-year old who could easily injure him.

He started to move around her yet before he could think of his next action, the ground trembled from one of her steps. He immediately panicked and understood what was going to happen. His back hit the ground but it didn’t stop there. His head was subjected to an immense pressure that came from another gust of air as she struck with her palm towards his head. He watched with horror how the palm moved closer and closer until it slapped his forehead leaving it with a stinging sensation.

Huh? What had just happened? He thought he was going to die from the hit but…

“She can’t control her Flames, Tsuna. Her strikes have only that first sharp presence but no real substance.” Reborn said while patting his daughter’s head in pride. She had barely learned the basics for self-defense but they were done well plus her attempt to use her Flames left him satisfied. “If you had been hit by her when she knew how to use her Flames, you would really be dead.” He concluded.

“Good job, Tsuna!” Dino suddenly said. “Don’t feel too bad, I also lost the first time I trained with her as I also underestimated her Flames.” He consoled the teenager by retelling his own experience. Of course, what he wouldn’t say was that he actually got scared of her as her face while focused looked eerily like Reborn’s and he just stood petrified receiving a beating from her.

After that, Dino said he was going to stay for a couple of days as he had something important to do in Namimori. Tsuna didn’t suspect anything but Reborn knew Dino was sent by Nono to check how Tsuna was progressing. The Arcobaleno couldn’t blame the old man of sending third parties to see if Tsuna had the bearings of a Mafia Boss; the teenager had already been decided as Decimo, so Nono had no other option and had to make sure everything was fine. Reborn didn’t care about that, what he was curious about was why his daughter was with Dino.

“Mama told me to travel with him.” Adhara responded as Father and Daughter remained alone in the dining room and dinner was over.

Reborn felt it was a bit irresponsible of Iolanthe to send a child with a Mafioso; no matter how friendly Dino was, he was a Mafia Boss. “Is Dino treating you well? Are you eating well? Where are you sleeping?” He asked her.

To the answer of his questions, she only replied with. “Mama also sent Milky.”

“Youngest Miss bes needing something?” A pale female House-elf with a white dress appeared at the mention of her name. She had been instructed by Iolanthe to take care of Adhara while she traveled. Petal and Dew were busy taking care of the babies in the Castle and the only House-elf among the others who knew how to take care of a kid was Milky. Seeing the House-elf, Reborn’s worries eased a lot. With Milky there, Dino truly only needed to train her a bit while traveling.

“Prepare the bath, Milky.” Reborn asked of the House-elf.

“Yes, Master!” Milky popped out to do what Reborn said.

“Have you learned what Flames are, Adhara?” He suddenly turned serious while teaching his daughter.

“Mama says Flames are my Soul.” The girl dutifully replied.

Reborn nodded. “Flames represent what you truly are, your true being. Your Sun Flames mean Activation, you are someone who can activate the potential of others and yours too. You are a very strong person, baby girl.” Reborn might be a bit biased with the Flames as he was a Sun too but among the seven Flames, although Sky Flames were the strongest, Sun Flames had the most flexibility as to their use. Sun Flame users have just restricted themselves to use them as either stimulants or a healing agent. However, Reborn thought they were best at bringing out a person’s true potential, like the Dying Will Bullet. “Daddy will teach you how to control your Flames.”

Flames, compared to Magic, were easier to control but required more time and dedication. Magic was moody and many times, it acted before the user knew about it. It wasn’t a complete sentience existence but it did act on its own. Flames depended totally on the person and how the person used them; the moment a person started to be cognizant of their own Flames, they could start using them. That was the easy part, the hard part was how to use them and how efficient the person was as Flames were like a water tank, the more you use, the less you have until you end up exhausted.

Adhara’s Flames seemed infinite as she could spend the whole day in Dying Will Mode and never tire out. But that was a misconception, even if she didn’t mentally tire, her body would and the moment she stops using her Flames, her body would collapse due to the exertion. It was really dangerous and luckily the girl didn’t use them often. At her age, though, she was starting to be aware of the fact she had Flames so it was necessary to start her training and that Iolanthe had discovered about the effects of being the daughter of a Witch on time. If not, Adhara would not only hurt herself but others too. Especially Iolanthe.

Reborn had thought the power in the bloodlines was mere bullshit but he was proven wrong thanks to his daughter. He would start listening to Draco’s spiel on the purity of blood.

Adhara’s first step to control her Flames was very simple. As her Flames were active, what she needed to do was to form a ball of Flames in her palm. It sounded simple yet her first tries almost ended in tragedy when her Flames exploded. How she did that, Reborn wasn’t sure but it happened and the house was almost destroyed if he hadn’t subdued her Flames with his on time. Reborn didn’t discourage the girl but suggested her to train outside whenever she could. He guessed that by the time Christmas Holidays came, she would be able to form that ball and he would proceed with the next step.

For the time being, telling Dino to supervise her Flames training alongside whatever other training he tried on her was the first thing he did. Well, he threatened more than told as Dino was a klutz through and through and with his dependence on his Famiglia it turned even worse. He couldn’t even go up or down the stairs without falling.


	52. Storm, Rain and Cloud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of an insight to the lives and thoughts of the Storm, Rain and Cloud Guardians of the Vongola's Tenth Generation.
> 
> Iolanthe receives two visits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been wanting to do a chapter with the POV of the Guardians and I finally did it! Though it is a bit lacking due to their short appearances in the fic, I will continue to do this type of chapter in the future.  
> The following most likely featuring the other three Guardians :D So, you have a hint as to when the next chapter like this will come.
> 
> A bit of warning for an extremely OOC Xanxus, if you don't like him like this, then there's nothing to be done about it. 
> 
> Hope you like this chapter and thanks for reading!

* * *

 

Gokudera Hayato was a very simple teenager. His priority in life was to serve Sawada Tsunayoshi, the Decimo Vongola as his right-hand man. He had grown up in a Mafia Famiglia under the light of his sister. His Father didn’t pay much attention to him and the teenager had guessed it was because of his Mother. It was fine to Gokudera, no matter what past his Father and Mother had, the fact was that in the Mafia, blood ties were not as important as having your own Sky. In that regard, Gokudera had lucked out.

Reborn had chosen him as the Storm Guardian of the Decimo Vongola and he felt it was a great honor. It was a hundred, no, a million times better than to stay in his house to play the piano. Piano was good, but to use it to pander to shitty old men was not good. That’s why Gokudera had been trying his very best to get close to Tsuna and being seen as a helpful person. So far, he thought he was doing a decent job; even if it was just sharing a few hours of helping Tsuna and Yamamoto with their complementary classes, he was showing his usefulness.

He did regret the fact he hadn’t Harmonized with Tsuna and was jealous of Yamamoto being the first. To make it worst, even the dumb cow had already Harmonized with Tsuna!

That’s why Gokudera had decided to step up his game and get along with Tsuna even more. And that’s how he ended up greeting Tsuna early in the morning ignoring the group of Mafiosi around.

“Good morning, Juudaime!” Oh, that was too loud and startled Tsuna; better say something to sooth him. “I woke up early so I wandered around and ended up here.” Ugh, those words somehow didn’t have the effect he wanted. Change of tactics! “By the way, who are these people?”

“It’s the Smoking-Bomb brat! I’ve heard about you.” A blonde guy suddenly spoke up. For a moment, Gokudera was confused that someone knew him yet taking a second look and noticing the tattoo on the guy’s arm, he instantly identified him.

“Burcking-horse Dino!”

Gokudera had heard about the young Sky who had suddenly inherited the well-known Cavallone Famiglia after his Father was killed in an ambush. For three years, Bucking-Horse Dino had toiled around improving his, by then, small Famiglia. Many other Famiglias, Gokudera’s included, had tried to decimate the already crippled Cavallone yet it seemed that the young Sky had someone backing him because all the attacks had been futile and the financial situation the Famiglia was in was resolved really quickly. It was even said that they had become extremely rich.

Due to that, the last year, the Cavallone Famiglia had seen an increase in members and went back to being the mighty ally of the Vongola from before. Spies were a commonality in that massive recruitment but they were somehow easily detected and easily killed as well. The bodies were even nicely wrapped and sent to the corresponding Famiglia. It was really disturbing but it had cemented the fact that the young Cavallone was not someone to be trifled with. Dino Cavallone had a good reputation among Mafiosi and civilians yet he was also feared by those in the know of his decisiveness and cruelty.

There was a time Gokudera wanted to join the Cavallone but his Father had beaten him up the moment he voiced the idea, so he had desisted. Yet seeing the Boss of the Cavallone in front of him made him a bit excited.

“Hey, Tsuna and Gokudera!” If only his good mood wasn’t ruined by baseball maniacs so early in the morning. “What are you guys doing? We’re going to be late!” _Yeah, say that without that stupid smile on your face!_ Gokudera inwardly complained. _And why the heck are you dragging me!?_ “Hurry up, Gokudera. If not Tsuna will get another mark for being late.”

“You are not any better, Yamamoto.” Tsuna wryly chuckled.

“Are you being a bad influenced to the Juudaime again, you baseball freak?!” He couldn’t allow this careless person ruin the good image of his Boss!

And so Gokudera began telling about good old stories about the Mafia to uphold his duty as right-hand man and educate the Boss in useful things. Taking into account the Cavallone Famiglia was visiting, he thought telling Tsuna about them was a good idea. It actually was a nice idea as Tsuna only knew Dino was his senior apprentice and that he was a total klutz without his Famiglia members, so he listened with interest about Dino’s past in the Mafia.

“Wow, I never thought Dino-san was so awesome.” Tsuna praised.

“Hey, Tsuna about this Mafia thing...” Both Tsuna and Gokudera startled. They had forgotten about Yamamoto, a civilian who knew nothing about the Mafia. “That’s some weird company name.” But then again, it was Yamamoto and he always came up with a ridiculous comment for his obliviousness. However, Gokudera thought it was better to have a chat with Yamamoto about what it meant to be with Tsuna as the Rain Guardian.

Just as he was pondering about how to approach the subject, a car stopped beside them and kidnapped Tsuna out of the blue.

“Juudaime!”

“Tsuna!”

Never before had Gokudera felt so useless. It happened in front of him and he had just stood there while Tsuna was taken away. His blood boiled and something inside him was telling him to act. That’s why he didn’t doubt to run towards that whatchamacallit Yakuza group as soon as Reborn told him and Yamamoto about it. His only wish had been and would always be to procure the safety of his Sky and he would be better dead if he backed out just because some local gangsters thought it was fine to kidnap his Boss.

As soon as they found the place where the Yakuza group had their office, they broke in like a Storm bringing a heavy downpour of Rain. Punches and kicks flew around while they made quick work with the rather weak Yakuza members. However, that was not important, what really mattered was…

“Spill it! Where do you have him?” Gokudera asked stubbing his lit cigarette on a yakuza member’s face.

Yamamoto, meanwhile, was shaking another member. “Can you tell me where he is?”

“Wha-! You beat up the yakuza!” Tsuna’s voice suddenly sounded from the entrance.

“Juudaime, you are safe!” Gokudera exclaimed looking at the unharmed Tsuna standing together with Dino. He was relieved that his Boss was safe and sound that he didn’t stop to think why Tsuna had come in from the entrance door.

Though there was no time to think about anything when a new batch of Yakuza entered the place. But, already pumped up from the previous fight, Gokudera and Yamamoto were not afraid and readily threw themselves into the fray. It had to be said that if it was before, they wouldn’t be on the same level as those Yakuza members but after the tender care from Hibari’s part by ambushing/attacking them whenever he felt like to, their fighting abilities had grown exponentially and did a quick job with them. Neither Tsuna nor Dino were able to interfere in the massacre.

If Tsuna knew better, then he would have guessed his friends were actually venting their frustration thanks to Hibari’s abuse.

“Your Family is very strong, Tsuna.” Dino commented seeing the two teenagers fighting with the Yakuza.

“They are not my Family, they are my friends.” Tsuna smiled embarrassed though he was also proud of Gokudera and Yamamoto.

“They are not just your friends.” Dino said. “But well, you will learn about the meaning of Family in the future.”

Tsuna certainly didn’t understand Dino’s words. Gokudera and Yamamoto were his friends because he only wanted them to be his friends. Even if they would accompany him to the world of the Mafia when he became a Boss (thing he was making peace with), he was reluctant to think of them as subordinates or people he could order around. He just wanted to remain with them as they were at that moment, happy, having crazy adventures and most importantly, together.

“Phew, that was good exercise!” Gokudera excitedly said letting out a big sigh.

“With my muscles loosened up, I am sure I can improve in baseball again.” Yamamoto let out a carefree laugh. Tsuna and Dino didn’t know what to say about that. Gokudera glanced at Yamamoto and thought it was the right moment to talk to him about the Mafia.

“Hey...”

“Daddy! I did it!”

However, the teenager was interrupted by an ecstatic Adhara who barged into the place holding a small ball of Sun Flames in her hands. She showed it to everybody in the room which was in silence. Gokudera and Yamamoto were confused as to why a little girl had appeared out of nowhere. Tsuna was surprised to see her there while Dino paled. Before Adhara was entrusted to him, Iolanthe had been very clear about her conditions. Dino first and only condition was to keep an eye on her, the rest Milky would take care of; as for Adhara she had promised to never separate from Dino. Even if the Sky would face dangerous situations, Iolanthe was confident that the safest place would be beside him.

So, it was no wonder she had appeared there. She had been following Dino all along.

Realizing Reborn wasn’t in the room, Adhara lost focus on her control over her Flames and the ball started to fluctuate. The other four knew something would happen from their perception, they just didn’t know from where the danger came. It was only when the little girl was pulled out the room that they noticed the little ball was the real danger though it was all too late.

_Boom!_

“Both apprentices caught in the same explosion… good girl.” Reborn praised the daughter he had timely saved. If he didn’t know his daughter was a Sun, he would suspect her of being a Storm by the level of destruction a little ball of Sun Flames created. “Although you can’t completely control it, the fact you can already form a ball is very impressive, baby girl.” He then encouraged seeing her downcast expression. Ah, it seemed his daughter was a perfectionist just like him.

“Yes, Daddy!” She smiled. Reborn was extremely confident daughters were the best seeing her bright smile, looking really cute and lovely. Though beauty was in the eyes of the beholder as in the past few days Dino had been training her, he thought that same smile held evil intentions. Reborn definitely was a fool for his daughters.

Later that same day, after the four tended their wounds from the explosion, Dino and Tsuna explained what had truly happened with the Yakuza and how it was all a test to both of them. Gokudera felt a bit offended that he had been tested to know if he was a good Guardian while Yamamoto let it all slide as if it was just an act. For that reason, when they left Tsuna’s house, Gokudera dragged him to a secluded alley; he couldn’t stand that naivety.

“It’s not a joke, Yamamoto.” The Storm said while pushing the Rain.

“What are you talking about?” Yamamoto asked with his signature carefree smile though it looked a bit brittle.

“Sawada Tsunayoshi is going to become the Decimo of the Vongola Famiglia. Dino is part of the Cavallone Famiglia, an ally of the Vongola. The Mafia is not a joke, you cannot continue being this careless about it if you want to be the Juudaime’s Rain Guardian. Reborn-san is not a simple baby, he is an assassin tasked to train the Juudaime to be a Mafia Boss and to gather his Guardians. He might have chosen you as the Rain Guardian but I don’t approve of it. Your personality is not cut off to be part of the Mafia. Like that, you are only asking to be killed.” Gokudera lectured.

Yamamoto’s smile gradually disappeared the more Gokudera spoke and his head lowered. “You don’t have to tell me, I know.” He had known it wasn’t a joke from some time ago, yet he couldn’t think of a better way to cope with it than to pretend he knew nothing about it; to be just like how he had always been.

“Then you…!” Gokudera tightly grabbed Yamamoto’s collar in disbelief.

“I am not cut off to be part of the Mafia but you are not cut off to be Tsuna’s friend. You might understand everything about that world of yours but you don’t understand anything about being a companion, to be a teammate instead of a subordinate. Tsuna doesn’t need that.” Yamamoto harshly retorted pushing Gokudera away. After straightening his shirt, he turned around and left a flabbergasted Gokudera behind.

Yamamoto had missed school but he didn’t skip the baseball practice. Yet his mind was not in the practice and he made many mistakes to which he joked saying he would probably get sick. His teammates told him it was fine and let him go back to rest. Yamamoto sullenly returned to his house to the rapid cuts of his Dad cutting the fish for the sushi. He was aware his Dad’s technique wasn’t normal but he hadn’t thought too much about it, so, for the first time, he paid close attention to the neat movements of the knife. They were strong but soft, short but with a delicate flow, fast yet slow at the same time.

It was a spectacle in itself.

“Oh, Takeshi! You are back early, how was your practice?” His Dad cheerfully called out, his hand and by consequence the knife in it never once stopping, still making those clean cuts.

Yamamoto hesitated a bit and then voiced out his question. “Hey, Dad, what do you know about the Vongola Famiglia?” Something told Yamamoto that his Dad knew about them. The problem was if he would tell him about it.

As expected, his Dad paused in the cutting and his face turned solemn. The atmosphere between them was tense and Yamamoto regretted a bit having asked such a question. Before he could retract his words, his Dad replied. “The Vongola Famiglia is something you need to experience to know. Whatever you decide, I will support you, Takeshi.” His Dad’s smile was as bright as always but Yamamoto noticed there was a bit of helplessness in it.

His Dad’s words didn’t actually answer his question but to Yamamoto it was enough. He ignored anything that had to do with the Mafia and about that Rain Guardian business Gokudera had mentioned, but he concluded the only way to go about it all was in the same way he had always done so. After all, he wouldn’t be himself if he started taking everything seriously without a respite. It was too tiring. That was not him.

“Thanks Dad.” Yamamoto beamed at the man. “Let me help you with that.”

  


…

  


“Achoo!”

A teenager laying on the roof of Namimori Middle High School suddenly sneezed. The weather had already become cold but he let the chilly wind blow on him. Either way, he had no time to think about the changes in the season as his mind was full of thoughts of one person, a woman. Whenever he thought of her, his hands itched for a fight. He had promised that baby to fight with the herbivores to have the chance to see her. It had been a long time since that and he still hadn’t seen one hair of her. Not even seeing her in that weird memory was enough.

He was starting to consider looking for her himself in Hungary yet the fact he would have to travel by plane and crowd around repulsed him so he always desisted on the idea. Without her, he was bored.

His eyes suddenly opened when he felt a strong aura coming out from a somewhat far away place. If he wasn’t mistaken, it was the aura of an omnivore. It was better than the group of herbivores around so he didn’t delay and instantly headed towards the place that resulted to be a park. A destroyed park. In the middle of the destruction, a little girl was standing while cupping her hands. Her white blouse and green shorts were dirty, the same as her face and her hair was freely bouncing in short, wild curls. Her eyes lit up when she formed a tiny yellow ball in her hands only for it to suddenly explode in a big cloud of smoke.

Hibari identified the girl as the person with the strong aura and most importantly the girl who had been together with that woman. His fighting will vanished the moment he recognized her yet he didn’t leave and stared at whatever she was doing. Her stubborn determination reminded her of that woman and probably that was the reason why he didn’t leave. His presence wouldn’t remain hidden for long, though.

“Achoo!” He suddenly sneezed again and realized that maybe he had caught a cold.

His musing halted when he felt danger approaching him. He dodged as his left side felt a warm yet sharp gust of air blowing. He turned to look at the place where he had been standing and his heart jolted seeing the huge ditch on the ground. His eyes looked at the wide eyed toddler standing in an attacking pose full of loopholes. Her aura was increasing by the second, becoming more restless and dangerous. Hibari thought she would attack soon but he paused.

The baby in a suit appeared out of nowhere with a sippy cup full of juice and gave it to her. The aura diminished by the second as she drank the juice until it reached a level of calmness. The baby glanced at Hibari and the latter felt sweat forming on his back; it was a mere glance but he was intimidated. As the girl finished her juice, the baby took the sippy cup back and walked away to sit at a safe distance from her destruction. Hibari’s mouth twitched since he hadn’t even noticed he had been there all along.

 _Too dangerous,_ he thought.

His attention, however, returned to the girl who was standing in front of him. She was taller up close and she had a chameleon nestling in her hair which was looking intently at him as if daring him to do something to her. Hibari glanced at the baby who was calmly disassembling a gun and acting as if he wasn’t paying attention to what was going on with him and the girl.

“Who are you?” She asked in English. Even though he didn’t look like it, Hibari was always at the top of the class. His classmates were disgruntled at his good grades despite never receiving a class. The teachers never asked him to attend as more often than not, they would be beaten up by him for their efforts.

“Hibari Kyoya.” He replied.

“Are you sick?” He was dumbfounded by the sudden change of topic. “Mama says if sick, go to the hoppo… shopi… hapitol.” She struggled and finally said.

Hibari had always liked fluffy, little animals and her scrunched up face while she tripped trying to say hospital was very funny and cute. A small smile perched on his mouth. “You want me to go to the hospital?”

She tilted her head and then nodded, her curls following the motion. He felt a strong urge to pet the unruly curls but restrained himself from doing so. “Are you ‘fraid?” She had been very afraid when her Mom injected her several times so she wouldn’t get sick while she was overseas. It was scary and she hurt a lot too. So she thought that maybe the person in front of her was scared of hospitals and injections too.

Hibari wanted to laugh. He was never the one scared, he was the one scaring others. So he felt it was ridiculous of her to think he was scared of hospitals. “Not afraid. I will go now.” He succumbed to temptation and patted her head. As he thought, her hair was very fluffy.

“Ok, bye bye, Hibacchi!”

Hibari’s whole body twitched but his face didn’t let out any expression. He turned around and almost staggered in his steps. He didn’t know if he should feel insulted or let it slide as a kid’s mischief. He decided for the second as it was less troublesome. What he didn’t expect was for her to visit him at the hospital in the afternoon, though it was mere coincidence it seemed.

“A huge turtle fell on Suna...” She recounted with big gestures. “Dino saved him but Suna is very silly and Ensho just made plop on him!” She loudly clapped her little hands emulating the way in which Enzio had fallen on Tsuna even after he was saved by Dino just a while ago. Due to that, she had gone to the hospital and remembering about Hibari also being sent to the hospital by her, she decided to tell him all about what she had been doing in the afternoon.

“Time to go, Adhara.” The baby, who once again Hibari didn’t notice, said from the door. The girl turned to look at the baby and brightly smiled.

“Yes, Daddy!” Hibari suddenly felt dazed. The girl jumped down from the bed and ran towards the baby. She held his hand and dragged him out not before waving goodbye at a stunned Hibari.

“Gather in five days.” The baby said before disappearing hand in hand with the girl. Hibari stopped himself from thinking and decided it was best to rest. His initial plan to go bother Tsuna went down the drain.

He did arrive at Tsuna’s house the day Reborn instructed him to gather. If he wasn’t mistaken, then it had to do with that woman. Only for her he would stand crowding with others, even if those others were Tsuna, Gokudera, Yamamoto, Ryohei and the loud Lambo who was running around playing with a strange Chinese girl who couldn’t stop staring at him and was even thrown out the window to explode by the baseball player. It seemed they even knew what to do in that case. He thought it was all interesting… as long as it didn’t involve him.

After some time, something wrapped around the other five out of the blue, easily tying them down. “Here, hold this for me.” Reborn said giving one end of the red and gold scarf to Hibari.

“Is this some kind of new game?” Hibari asked with a smirk. If it was, he was kind of liking it.

“Maybe.” Reborn responded also grabbing the scarf. Not long before he replied, the group of teenagers plus Lambo and a last-minute-returned I-pin were whisked away by the Portkey.

“Aaaahhhh!!” Tsuna was the loudest of them all in their screaming, followed by Lambo who was also crying and an I-pin who was letting out a string of exclamations in Chinese.

“What’s this?!” Gokudera also yelled, his face a bit green from the spinning while Yamamoto and Ryohei were cheering out such a fun ride, fun for them, anyway. Hibari was the only one who seemed calm in the situation if it wasn’t for the tight grip he had on the scarf and his pursed lips.

Well, they couldn’t be blamed, even Reborn thought a Portkey was an awful way to travel no matter how practical. Looking around, he noticed they were about to arrive so it was time to make their preparations. “Let go.” He instructed.

“WHAT?!” They all yelled. During their spinning, the five who were lassoed by the scarf were holding onto it for dear life as it had come out loose.

Reborn smirked. “Good luck!” Saying so he let go of the scarf disappearing from the vicinity. The others looked at where the Arcobaleno used to be and then looked at each other. The first to let go was Hibari; he had had enough of crowding. The next one was Ryohei who yelled “EXTREME!” while flying out. Yamamoto gave an encouraging nod towards the others and also let go with a whoop. Gokudera didn’t want to be left behind by the baseball freak and grabbing the still wailing Lambo and the frightened I-pin, he was gone.

Tsuna was still pale and didn’t want to let go of the scarf but he knew that despite Reborn’s unreasonableness, he never lied. His hand opened and the next thing he knew, he was thrown by some sort of force until he harshly landed on the cold ground with a grunt. He looked up towards the sky and noticed it was snowing. Reborn was lazily gliding down with a parachute while looking at the sprawled teenagers on the snow with mirth in his eyes.

“ _ **Welcome home, Dad!”**_ A sibilant voice sounded the moment Reborn’s feet touched the ground.

“I’m home.”

  


…

  


  


Earlier that day in Hungary, Iolanthe received the visit of her favorite Vindice, Jager and Bermuda von Veckenschtein.

“Why did you want to meet with us?” Bermuda asked with interest. She had sent him a letter indicating she had some information about the Arcobaleno Curse that they needed to know. Bermuda had been bidding his time and the more information he had about the Curse, the better for him.

“I was wondering if you were interested in cooperating with me.” Iolanthe said from the armchair she was sitting at. Though it looked more like a ball was sitting on her due to her huge belly. The reason why her belly was huge compared to the time she was pregnant of Adhara, according to Astoria, was because the baby was a boy; adding to that the fact she was slim, then the belly was very prominent in her body. Not that she cared as she happily stroked her belly.

“What type of cooperation?” Bermuda was very professional and ignored all signs of Iolanthe looking very relaxed and harmless. He knew that even in her state, she could give them a run for their money.

“Checker-Face came to me to complain about me messing up his fun game.” Iolanthe commented preparing herself a cup of tea with great difficulty due to the bulge on her stomach. The two Vindice tensed and let out killing intent at the mere mention of the responsible for their current situation. “The new Arcobalenos will be chosen in around a year.” She then informed.

“What does that have to do with us and with the cooperation you are proposing?” Jager rudely interrupted. He was in a very bad mood.

“Technically nothing,” Iolanthe said biting on a pastry. It was early but her son was already asking to be fed. Lazy and gluttonous, that one. She was lean by nature but she had still put up a few pounds due to him. “What I want is my Husband to survive. That’s all. However, to achieve that I am planning to modify the way in which an Arcobaleno yields their Flames towards the Pacifier. I am sure you understand what this would mean to the new generation of Arcobalenos and this is where you come in.” She paused to gauge the reaction of the two Vindice.

“Go on.” Bermuda prompted clearly wanting to know more. If whatever Iolanthe was planning helped to mess around with that Checker-Face, then he was in.

“I need to know more about the Flames you have created.” Iolanthe let out the bomb. “As ex-Arcobalenos with all your Flames siphoned, you shouldn’t be alive, yet here you are and with a new Flame. This new life of yours, I want to know everything about it.”

Silence ensued after her statements. It was really a daring request from her part which left them on the vulnerable side of the deal. “What do we get from all this?”

“Freedom.” Iolanthe said with conviction.

“What makes you think we cannot get our own freedom?” Jager sneered not really buying Iolanthe’s words.

“You can,” She said as she refilled her cup. “You will get your revenge and then you will be enslaved once more protecting the new Pacifiers for all eternity.” Her words made their heart tremble. “That is if you and your comrades actually last until the end of the world; after all, your Souls are dissipating even as we speak. If it goes on, you can last only a century at most and then, poof! Goodbye Soul and chance to reincarnate. Vindice are living on borrowed time.”

“How do you know about our revenge and the results?” Bermuda caught an important part from what she had said.

“Talbot came yesterday after he received my letter, too. He agreed to cooperate with me in creating a new form of the Pacifier. He had already been working on it but he is still missing a lot of important steps before he can be done. He was the one who told me about your Flames; it seems he is aware of what they can do. Besides, he possesses a very nifty crystal ball that can see the future.” She replied with a playful smile.

What she said was really far-fetched but the two Vindice couldn’t help but believe it. Besides, they knew what she was able to achieve with a couple of months studying Flames after knowing nothing about them. The past three years she hadn’t been idle either, and although there hadn’t been any progress in how to dispel the Arcobaleno Curse, her results were enough to take another route, route she seemed to have decided on taking. And how they knew about it? Well, that was because once a year, they had to induct the new kids with Flames on the matter of Omertà before they entered the Mafia World on their own volition. 

There have been many breaches in the law lately so the  Vindice thought prevention was better. Of course, they wouldn’t complain to put a few Mafiosi in their place to  let them  know who made the rules there. 

“We will let you know about our decision.” Bermuda finally said. It was best to think it through or better yet, see how the events pan out in the near future before deciding what to do.

“I will wait for you until after the Vongola Ring Battle.” Iolanthe said dropping another important information. Bermuda nodded and then nudged Jager to move. Right after disappearing in the rip on space, a scream came from upstairs.

“ _ **Mom! Xanxus is bullying me again!”**_

Iolanthe chuckled. She knew connecting their  special  personal Floo to Xanxus’ room for when he visited was a bad idea as he seemed to love teasing Farid. Those two were like cats and dogs fighting here and there, pranking and being pranked. She would have thought that as an adult, Xanxus wouldn’t let a girl off but he was very vindictive when he bothered to be. Generally he just attacked without rhyme o r reason; so, at least, he  had a reason for going against Farid . 

After the scream, heavy footsteps sounded on the wooden floor upstairs and then on the stairs, from where Iolanthe could make out the figure of the Head of the Varia coming down from the second floor where the fireplace connected to the Floo was. 

“She will end up hating you.” Iolanthe commented seeing the young man sitting down on the couch and getting comfortable on it.

“I won’t stop even if she hates me.” Xanxus unreasonably said. 

“As the older one, you should know when to give in to her childish actions...” Iolanthe paused. “Why does it sound as if I am lecturing my children?” She carelessly mused.

Xanxus face darkened. “I’m not your fucking child.”

“Thank Merlin for that. You would be the one eternally being punished.” She giggled seeing his mutinous expression. “Then, why have you come? I am sure it’s not just to torment my daughter.” 

Xanxus took out a stack of papers from his trench coat and put it on the table where Iolanthe reached for it and began to read. With each page she read, her brow became even more scrunched up as if she didn’t like what she was reading. One hour later, she finished reading  even the last  dot in the papers, put them on the table and lean ed on the armchair to think. Xanxus allowed her all the time she needed and just went to the kitchen to prepare himself a cup of coffee. He refused to drink that swill Iolanthe called tea. It was not  strong  enough to give him that boost in the morning. Morning of Christmas Eve, no less. 

“What are you going to do with this information?” She asked after she was done thinking. 

“What do you think I will do?” Xanxus returned.

Iolanthe sighed and her hand once again rubbed her belly. “What do you want me to do?” Because the fact he had showed her all about the investigation he had  done recently, meant that he needed her to do something. 

“Not much...” Xanxus trailed off. “It will, however, make you break your promise with the fucking old man.”

“I am aware, Xanxus.” She said with pursed lips. “But I will help you.” She spoke with finality. He nodded and opened his mouth to tell her his plan yet he was stopped by the light footsteps coming from the stairs and down came Farid wearing a warm Saree specially made for the winter season. She really refused wearing any other type of clothes. 

“ _ **Good morning, Mom!”**_ She greeted kissing Iolanthe’s cheek. “ _ **Good morning, baby boy!”**_ She then greeted patting Iolanthe’s belly.

“ _ **Good morning, dear. Did you wake up your sister?”**_ Iolanthe corresponded in kind and asked. Teddy was used to waking up early due to his training with Fon and Adhara was the only one in bed since she had returned from her trip with Dino for the holidays; afterwards, she would continue traveling for however long Dino traveled too. 

“ _ **I did, I also helped her brush her teeth and hair. She will come down in a moment after Milky dresses her.”**_ Farid said totally ignoring Xanxus; however, the petty guy was never one to eat losses.

“What about my morning kiss?” He shamelessly asked. If any member of the Varia knew their almighty, bloodthirsty and murderous Boss liked to tease a nine-year-old kid, then they would die the next moment as their Boss would kill them after knowing his secret. Xanxus dove towards the right of the couch dodging the Spell thrown at him while laughing.

“ _ **No Magic in the house, Farid.”**_ Iolanthe reminded her. “And you, stop it with your teasing.” She then pointed at Xanxus who got a glare from Farid, her hood dangerously flaring. _**“Your Dad will come soon,**_ _ **honey,**_ _ **go wait for him.”**_ Iolanthe instructed her eldest daughter before those two started fighting. Again.

“The Arcobaleno is returning? Wasn’t he training the Decimo?” Xanxus spoke up after Farid left. 

“I invited Tsunayoshi and his friends, too.” Iolanthe announced much to the Varia Boss’ displeasure. “What is with that grumpy face? Didn’t you say you were going to get drunk with Squalo and the others today and the rest of the week until the holidays are over?” She offhandedly asked as he had told her his plans for Christmas. 

Xanxus hmphed. “Let’s talk after the holidays then… when I am sober, too.” He added. 

“If you say so.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Alright, they are already here. Help me get there.” She asked extending her hand towards the young man as soon as she felt the Wards telling him about the new additions in the Castle.

“Are you sure it’s a baby you have in there?” He asked seeing the huge belly which made her waddle and take forever to go from one place to another. “I wouldn’t be surprised if an alien comes out from there.” Iolanthe laughed at his words. They had watched some of those movies which featured aliens with elongated heads coming out from a person’s stomach a few weeks ago. Only the pre-teens were allowed to watch those movies to avoid nightmares on the youngest kids and Xanxus had been there for the marathon. “Anyway, we have arrived. I can already see those shitty brats from here. I won’t accompany you further.”

“Alright. Don’t forget to grab your batch of cookies made by Farid.” Iolanthe said in farewell.

“Missions won’t kill me but that brat’s cooking will.” Xanxus grumbled while he walked back to the house to Floo back to his room in Varia Headquarters. 

Iolanthe shook her head at Xanxus dramatic comment. He was not the same forever angry and in a bad mood person that came out from the ice three years ago. Although he cursed a lot and was very violent, he knew restrain in front of Iolanthe and he even learned to prank from Teddy and Farid. By all means and purposes, he hadn’t changed much but he showed another side of him which seemed to have been buried under all that rage and bloodthirstiness. She was glad for that. 

“ _ **Welcome home, Dad!”**_

“I’m home.”

The exchange between her Husband and daughter took her out of her thoughts and her emerald eyes locked with his dark ones. She knew her Husband was lacking in many ways, he wasn’t perfect and it was hard for him to change but he was always honest and he constantly told her that his home was wherever his Family was. That comforted Iolanthe a lot and made her forget all about his bad traits. However, bad or not, he was her Husband and she wouldn’t choose another man to spend her life with that wasn’t him. 

With him, she could be selfish. 


	53. Xmas' Eve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna and his Guardians arrived at the Castle to an important event.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must apologized for not updating but as the song says: Life is a bitch, but she's totally doable~! LOL, well, lots of stuff happening but I will never drop any fic I am writing! That, I promise! 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for reading! Thanks for waiting too!

* * *

 

Reborn thought reuniting with his Wife would be special. There were various hints forming that thought. The first one was the shy smile on her face as she walked towards them. Once Iolanthe got used to him, her shy smiles were rarer and rarer, and only appeared if he was teasing her. So, a shy smile blooming on its own volition on her face told him that she had been anticipating his arrival. The second hint was when she told Farid to take Tsuna and company to the Dining Hall where breakfast would be soon served. That left the two alone even if Hibari was very reluctant to leave.

He had to be dragged, or more like, Tsuna sacrificed his well-being by being chased by Hibari so the couple could be alone.

The last and most important hint was when she asked for his Pacifier. He very willingly gave it to her knowing why she wanted it. However, it all seemed that he was just overthinking as the first thing she said and did when he recovered his normal body was, “Carry me,” extending her arms to him. And that was how the Greatest Hitman in the World, the Sun Arcobaleno, Reborn, was used as a mule by his Wife because she was tired and hungry and he needed to walk fast to the Dining Hall. Though the times he had carried her princess-style could be counted with one hand, so he decided to enjoy it too.

“Hold on tight.” He said while patting her butt.

Iolanthe squeaked in surprise but still subconsciously did as he said when he suddenly lifted her. “Rogue.” She complained glaring at him.

“And don’t forget.” He retorted with a devilish smirk that made her blush.

Iolanthe wanted to say something but the giggling of a group of girls stopped her. She immediately knew that they had been seen and she was immediately mortified. The group of girls wasn’t the first to see them like that; each and every cognizant kid in the Castle had seen the lovey-dovey couple. It was the girls’ luck to finally be able to witness the legendary scene of their caretakers flirting (The House-elves had it rougher though, when they had to run away from the steaming scenes of their Masters). Being discovered by the couple, the girls ran away towards the Dining Hall where they had been heading originally.

“There goes my good image.” Iolanthe listlessly said seeing the girls’ backs.

“We didn’t have a good image to begin with.” Reborn returned while he slowly walked. Although Iolanthe was heavy to a normal person, to him, she was as light as ever.

“And whose fault is that?” She hissed at him.

“Well, Iolanthe, the only one who can make my body return to normal is you, so...”

“Are you saying it is my fault?” She dangerously asked with narrowed eyes.

Reborn knew that if he continued arguing, then he would be in trouble. So, it was time to employ the best tactic for that occasion, pandering to his Wife. “…so, it is my fault for being shameless and wanting to take advantage of my beautiful, pure, fantastic, always-right Wife.” He even playfully kissed her cheek making her laugh delighted. She truly was never one to remain angry.

They entered the Dining Hall at that moment and everybody turned to look at them hearing her laugh. Noticing their stares, Iolanthe wanted to jump down from his arms yet he didn’t give her the chance and continued walking until he reached her place in the front table.

During Christmas Holidays, the Dining Hall was decorated differently.

Normally, there are three big tables, one containing the pre-teens and teens, the other one which was designated for the kids starting their education and finally those kids and older toddlers who weren’t studying yet. The division allowed the teachers to differentiate between classes as kids starting their education and those older obviously had different subjects. Of course, there were also the rare ones, Magicals, who had decided to go to either of the official schools, like Hogwarts or Beaubaxtons.

For those Magicals who wanted to remain at the Castle, although the Castle was not an official accredited school, their education was considered as homeschooling and the teens were apt to take O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts in the Hungarian Magical Ministry to prove they had their education in order and could apply for a job. To Iolanthe, the place where you could go looking for the best jobs was Gringotts. The Goblins had a deal with Iolanthe that involved placing those kids looking for a job in the best out there. For a price, of course. They hadn’t reached that point as the kids hadn’t graduated yet but the option was there.

For the other kids, it was a bit more difficult. That’s why Iolanthe had been adamant in having people teaching them according to their Magick.

Their Magick was a bit more special and rare, so only specific niches of people had it and their teachings were not wide-spread; however, she had been able to find those groups that were a bit loose in their sharing of knowledge and even set up an Apprenticeship system. Their teachers were their half-Mentors and it were those Mentors who would introduce them to their real Mentors to expand their knowledge in their Magick and then being able to get a job. Some of the teens who had shown a promising future had already gotten an official Mentor and left the Castle to study outside.

However, even with some of the teens gone, the Dining Hall always seemed to be full and Iolanthe was paraded in such a full Dining Hall. The girls were giggling at the scene and the boys were looking at Reborn in awe. They knew Iolanthe was not light at all with her heavily pregnant belly but there the man was, carrying her as if it was nothing. The toddlers weren’t even looking at them as their eyes were stuck in all the decorations for the Holidays.

The three big tables were gone and instead, round tables that could hold up to ten people were placed in the Hall. Forgetting all about academics, the point was to go sit with whoever you wanted to. As such, even if there were tables who only had teenagers, or only kids, or only toddlers, there were more which were a mix of everything as Iolanthe also encouraged the older kids to take care of the younger ones.

Luckily, the teens knew what it actually meant being an orphan so they did their best to regard the young ones as their siblings so the latter would never experience the lack of family love. Of course, there was also the couple of real siblings there.

 

Like, the four siblings who were Animators. It didn’t matter what they created, it came to life as soon as it was done. The Castle once saw an invasion of all kind of weird animals, objects and even people. Fortunately, the older one, who was already 13, knew how to dispel the creations. They were never discouraged to stop using their gift, they were just advised to do it in a more controlled manner. Small creations were allowed and could last however long they wanted to. Large creations were made only under the supervision of their teacher.

Iolanthe felt very accomplished seeing the happy faces of all her protegees in the Hall and forgot all about her embarrassing situation. After being carefully place on her seat, she beamed at her Husband who took the seat on her right, and then turned at the Hall.

“Almost Christmas guys. This year we have very special guests coming from Japan.” She gestured at the five teenagers and one kid sat almost at the front. “More people will be coming during the day as there will be a special event tonight.” Iolanthe paused to let the whispers that suddenly rose subside. “Yeah, since Yule there had been rumors of it and most of you must have already guessed it. Seeing as the Castle has its fair share of teenager here, we have decided to make a Ball.”

The cacophony of noises the announcement gave birth to was more than what Iolanthe had expected. The kids in the Castle didn’t lack much; they had food, education, a roof above their heads, rewards for their achievements in the form of trips, they could practice any sport or game they wanted and Iolanthe tried her best to give them all the attention they needed. It was tiring but very rewarding for her. However, they had never been a Ball in the Castle. And the reason Iolanthe decided to make one was because she had seen that some teens were already experience the spring of romance.

And who was her to discourage it? Even though she thought of everybody as a family, the truth was they were not. That’s why the kids had no qualms in liking another fellow orphan in the Castle.

Seeing the excitement hadn’t dissipated, Reborn decided to intervene. “Alright kiddos.” Silence ensued. That showed how much authority he had over the kids... or how much they feared him. “The event has been announced; invite the girl or boy you like out.” Many girls blushed and some boys were already looking for a girl to invite. Yet, they all felt a chill run down their spine seeing Reborn’s smirk. “If two or more people invite the same person, you know what will happen. As long as the person hasn’t accepted yet, it’s free to ask.”

Oh, they knew. Of course they knew. Reborn always enjoyed making them fight among them. There was never a life-and-death battle but a few teeth had flown before. They had already tried the horrible Skele-gro more than once. Noticing the teens had lost themselves in their thoughts, Iolanthe sighed.

“You have scarred them.” She told her Husband.

“It seems I have.” He smiled, not one ounce of regret on his face. “Nobody is making a move.” He mumble.

“You need to lead by example.” Iolanthe reminded after making the food appear in the Hall as she was really hungry. The Dining Hall turned busy with the younger kids eating, leaving the older ones looking this and that way but no one having the courage to be the first extending their own invitation.

_Bang!_

“There.” Reborn said with a satisfied smile and waiting for the show.

“REBORN! Invite Lisa to the Ball as if I were to die!” Tsuna roared after being shot by the Dying Will Bullet. Reborn had noticed his pitiful student drooling over Lisa all along; so, with such a chance to get close to her, Reborn gave Tsuna the push he needed. After all, the Arcobaleno thought Lisa was better than Kyoko regarding on how they would develop in the Mafia. “LISA! COME TO THE BALL WITH ME!”

“As expected of the Juudaime!” Gokudera suddenly praised Tsuna for targeting the prettiest girl in the Hall, and as the good right-hand man he was, he even translated Tsuna’s words to the confused girl who didn’t know why a guy in his boxers was yelling at her.

“Oh, sure.” She easily accepted as she didn’t care who went to the Ball with her. Besides, she was intrigued by this guy who screamed ‘wrong’ all over his soul.

And that was how the first couple for the Ball was formed. Amid shouts of disbelief, laughing from the adults who had witnessed the scene and cries from the girls calling Tsuna a pervert. Needless to say, Tsuna was beaten up by those girls.

 

…

 

Tsuna sat soullessly in the room he was going to share with Gokudera and Lambo. He still couldn’t believed what he had done back in the Dining Hall, or more like what Reborn forced him to do. Because he knew that Dying Will Bullet had been from him, Tsuna just didn’t know from where it came.

He didn’t plan on inviting Lisa to the Ball after Gokudera had helpfully translated for everybody in the table what Iolanthe was saying. He had just put Kyoko aside, forgetting all about his feelings for her; yet, he was once again tangled with another girl with whom he couldn’t actually communicate. What was he going to do in that so called Ball? Remain mute? He was more worried about the dancing bit, though. No, scratch that, he was more worried about actually going to a Ball with the prettiest girl he had ever seen in his short life. 

Just thinking about it made his heart race and his face turn hot from blushing. He felt extremely lucky yet saddened at the same time. He was still a no-good Tsuna and he would most likely embarrass himself in front of Lisa. He rolled on the bed worried about what he was going to do, what he was going to wear, etc., etc….

“Juudaime!” 

“Wha!” The door opened with a bang startling Tsuna and letting in an extremely excited Gokudera.

“The fights are beginning, we better gather intel about the abilities of these people in case we fight them in the future!” Gokudera grabbed Tsuna’s hand and dragged the latter towards the small Arena in the Castle while recounting what he had been doing after breakfast was over.

He had basically gone around doing field reconnaissance and discovered many places in the Castle. Like, the indoor game room, the Arena, the Greenhouse, the forest with many weird creatures, the lake with a strange house in the middle and the interesting rooms in the main building like the Library, the watchtower, the Planetarium, and of course the Quidditch Pitch in the middle of the building. He would have checked every nook and cranny of the place if it wasn’t for the sudden excitement among the people living there talking about fights in the Arena. 

Gokudera decided he should share that information with Tsuna and that was how the two of them found themselves sitting on the rather comfortable seats of the Arena while two teenagers were fighting each other for a red-haired girl who was rather cute. It was obvious they had invited her to the Ball one after the other without the girl having time to accept. The fighting method could make any girl or boy conceited thinking they were really sought after; yet, all those teens only wanted to find an excuse to duel. 

Thanks to Reborn’s spartan teachings, all those innocent kids turned into battle-loving maniacs. And although Iolanthe didn’t encourage much the method, she always advocated to the truth that you needed to be strong to be able to protect those you want to protect. 

_Slash! Boom!_

The Arena shook with the force of the teenagers’ Magicks. Marco was a Filipino teen with an Elemental Core much like Akemi, though his was an Air Core that coupled with the sword style he had been learning for a year made him a real killing machine. He was one of the few teens Belphegor got along with due to his abilities, and the only reason Squalo showed his noisy self in the Castle, to teach and fight Marco. Though, despite the teen’s rather bloodthirsty skills, he had the gentlest pair of eyes and sunniest smile of all. He was one of the teenagers who volunteered every day to babysit a younger kid and teach the kid to read and write. 

His opponent was a Storm Flame user called Fiero. As his name suggested, he was a very proud teen; however, his pride wasn’t for nothing. Among the Flame users in the Castle, he was the strongest of them all and he was already scouted by Xanxus to become one of the Varia. He only needed to learn four more languages so he could enter the organization. His blonde hair, blue eyes and sharp features made him the teen with the best looks among the guys and due to that, he was very popular among girls. However, he was very unapproachable and rather cold. 

So, it was surprising for everybody for him to show interest in someone. For either, actually, as neither Marco nor Fiero ever showed hints in being interested in a girl. 

Olive was a pretty normal girl with her red hair, small brown eyes, almost invisible eyebrows, snub nose and thin lips. She was also very shy and didn’t have many friends. She was the typical wallflower girl if it wasn’t because she was an Empath. She was mostly seen together with Lisa because only Lisa could help her pacify the many emotions bombarding her every day from the others, just by being by her side. Iolanthe had paid special attention to her due to that and didn’t allow her to assist to classes like the other teens. 

At twelve, she should be getting ready for middle school, yet she was taught separately by Tariq everything he learned in normal school himself and by Iolanthe, who was teaching her how to Occlude. It had been a hard task as Olive was not Magical but the girl had seen progress and could handle being in a room with up to ten people without Lisa’s interference. She had also been learning a bit about Healing and was the only girl, among those who were also learning Healing, who could finely get along with Fiero while tending to his wounds after he trains. 

And that was all thanks to her Empath abilities. She knew when he was displeased, so she would remain quiet. When he was angry, so she would gently appease him. Or when he was in a good mood, so she would cheerfully talk about the things she considered funny to her. Although Lisa was the most eye-catching girl in the Castle, to Fiero, the shy and calm Olive was much to his taste as a quiet boy, too. Although the other girls were also interested in him, they couldn’t stand his ice-like personality; so, only Olive seemed to receive special attention from him.

_Boom!_

Marco was thrown off the ring by a concentrated explosion Fiero created with his marbles. Fiero was very insidious while fighting and many of his senseless attacks turn out to be traps for his opponents. Although his weapon were very normal looking marbles, among those, he owned clear ones that were hard to see. Together with the fast pace of the fight, any opponent would miss them and fall into the trap of the marbles filled with his destructive Storm Flames. Trap in which Marco sadly fell in. Luckily, the concentration of Flames in the marbles was not high and only his clothes suffered the brunt of them leaving him in rags.

“Stop! Fight’s over! Fiero wins!” The referee, Lisa, announced. Her voice helped the two guys calm down and walk down the ring as if they hadn’t been fighting before. 

Everybody watched with rapt attention how Fiero walked towards Olive and very casually took out a pendant he had made for her and quickly put it around her neck. Catcalls and whistling sounded around making Olive blush and hide herself behind Lisa. Fiero, for his part, didn’t mind her actions and just whispered to her a few things to which she nodded, before leaving himself. 

After the rather exciting battle, another couple of fights ensued. There was even a pair of Magical twin sister fighting for the same guy who turned out to be Carlos, the Obscurial who was still a bit clingy to Iolanthe. He had recently turned eleven and was very tall for his age after he had started eating healthily. Whenever he wasn’t with Iolanthe, he turned a bit introverted yet was very polite and gentle towards everybody. He was very interested in Magical Creatures and was mostly seen together with the Hippogriffs or even the Thestrals which he could perfectly see. 

Carlos was normally quiet, making him and Fiero get along due to their matching personalities, yet the former always turned lively when he was taking care of the Creatures. And it was that lively hidden personality that got the interest of the sisters who were one year older than him. 

Janka and Rózsi had been beggars since they had memory with an alcoholic father who took all the money they begged and lost it in drinks and gambling. The girls basically had lived on the charity of their neighbors. They had arrived in the town where the Castle was located due to their father being running away from his debts. However, it seemed he had messed with people he wasn’t supposed to and was eventually killed while the girls were away trying to find something to eat. They actually very heartlessly left the body of their father laying inside the one-room house they lived in and moved out.

It wasn’t too long before they found the Castle themselves. Thinking it was just another place in which they could filch a bit of food, they sneakily entered the place by an opened window after having climbed over the tall fence. Unluckily, they had entered the Charms classroom while a class was in session. Before they could escape, they were captured by the teacher and brought before Iolanthe. It wasn’t surprising to find out they were Magicals after they had actually found the Castle and bypassed the Wards which welcomed any person with Magick and with no bad intentions to harm anyone inside.

They ended up staying after the matter with their father was resolved. And two years after that, they had become the best duelers in the Castle. Thing that was proved by the rapid swishing of their wands and the fast casting of spells.

“Expelliarmus!”

“Incendio!”

“Flipendo!”

“Immobulus!”

“Tarantellegra!”

“Ah! That’s not fair, Janka!” Rózsi complained trying to remain standing with her dancing feet. “Lumos!”

“Talking about not being fair.” Janka grumbled covering her eyes. She was barely able to dodge the Body-Bind Curse and threw her own spell blindly hoping to catch her sister in it. “Rictusempra!”

“Hahaha, ok, ok, I give! Hahaha… make it stop!” Rózsi said laying on the floor madly laughing while begging her sister.

“Uh, I haven’t learned how to stop it.” Janka sheepishly smiled seeing the predicament she had put her sister in.

“You did it on purpose!” Rozsi exclaimed. And like that, a scene that was more normal than seeing the sun go up from the east and go down on the west played in front of everybody.

Up in the audience, Iolanthe sighed. “Those two, always bickering. Neither had noticed the spell is no longer working too busy cat-fighting.” Although she was bemoaning how those two acted, there was mirth in her eyes as it was better to see them bickering than worrying about when they were going to have their next meal. She still worried their lively personality would spook Carlos who was still a bit dependent on her. The other teachers convinced her that those two might help him come out from his introverted self and quietly watched the three interact.

It was really funny seeing the two sister fight over the boy, though, as he silently stood by their side not knowing what to do, if to appease them to stop fighting or hide from them.

Each and every child in the Castle had a gloom past yet she had done her best in making them see they still had a future. Something far from what they had lived up until they stepped into the Castle. And it was in special Holidays like those that it was more obvious seeing their happy faces. She has obviously not failed in her task, her self imposed task and the Peverell task as all the kids with different Magicks interacted with each other, liking each other.

As Lisa announced the winner between the sisters, the stage in the Arena emptied as no other battle seemed to come up. The number of teenagers was not that big and many hadn’t had problems looking for a partner for the Ball. Some had even resorted to inviting their little siblings just so they could partake in the fun as those younger than eleven were not allowed to assist to not disrupt their sleeping habits. Just when they thought nobody would step up, Hibari jumped into the stage and with his narrowed eyes, he looked directly at where Iolanthe was sat.

“Come to this Ball with me, Carnivore.” He said pointing at Iolanthe.

Iolanthe’s eyebrow amusingly rose to his words. The place turned silent with no one trying to understand what was going on. Gokudera was surprised at seeing such a murderous guy showing interest in a Ball, and inviting a woman out. Tsuna was like an ant on a hot pan, not knowing where to look. Or more like, he was scanning the place looking for Reborn. It was his Wife Hibari was hitting on and Tsuna was sure that the petty baby would want to give Hibari a lesson for his arrogance. Though, it seemed the guy had disappeared and even a strange man had been acting very mushy with Iolanthe.

“Interesting.” Reborn, sitting beside Iolanthe, said. All the teens gathered in Arena suddenly shivered seeing the glint in Reborn’s eyes together with his slanted smirk. They dedicated a moment of silence to that brave person who invited their dear caretaker to the Ball.

“Sure.” Iolanthe accepted without any preambles. The Arena turned silent once more. “Don’t look at me like that, Renato.” She said with a pout. “I want to go to the Ball with you, too, but do you think I will be able to do so?” She sniffed and turned her head, ignoring him.

Reborn was confused by her words until moments later, a very excited Adhara told him, not asked, to go to the Ball with her. As a Dad who could never say no to his women, he smilingly accepted. He still felt bad for giving more attention to his daughter instead of his Wife yet he was still waiting for Adhara to get over her clingy attitude with him to put all his efforts on Iolanthe. And although he was unhappy knowing his Wife was going to dance with another guy, no matter how young, he could only endure and keep an eagle eye on him so he wouldn’t take advantage of his preciously round Wife.

With the couples formed, only the clothes were missing.

As someone who had provided even the thread with which Taylor makes his accessories to control his Guardian Spirit, Iolanthe also bought bolts upon bolts of fabric of different colors and types for suits and dresses, as well as shoes and many other needed accessories. While the ones in charge of making them were the House-elves who were as good as any talented seamstress in making clothes.

Gathering in the girls’ common room, there was a cacophony of excited chattering from the girls deciding what fabric and what color they wanted to use for their dresses. The most sought after fabric was of course satin or silk. Once they had decided, there were some style samples from Iolanthe’s most juvenile dresses so they could choose how they wanted their dress to be made. As Mippy, Miffy and Mitty took each girl’s measurements, Milky, Mimi, Mibby and Petal cast spell after spell to make a dress between fifteen minutes and half an hour.

That only left the girls to decide how they were going to comb their hair and what accessories they would use. Iolanthe had gifted the prettiest jewelry she could find in her vaults. After all, she was not one to use jewelry and she was happy with the one Reborn had given her.

On the boy’s side, there was a subdued atmosphere compared to the girls’ side. As soon as the elves in charge of making the clothes moved to their side, the row of suit styles provided by Reborn appeared together with the fabrics. They orderly moved and inspected the fabrics to then carelessly choose a suit style. Although there were some excited teens, the most excited seemed to be the actual guests; meaning, Tsuna and company thanks to Ryohei who was invited by Estelle, Farid’s best friend, to the Ball. He had actually accepted without knowing he had been invited and just nodded to whatever she had said.

Gokudera thought he was a lucky idiot. In no way was he jealous because nobody asked him out, nor did he ask someone out. _It was all for the Juudaime’s sake_ , he convinced himself. The baseball freak of Yamamoto had gotten a date for the Ball by accident with the only girl who could actually speak Japanese in the Castle, Akemi. Lambo, that dumb cow, would shamelessly go to make trouble so he also needed to pay attention to him. Hibari was going with an adult woman and Tsuna had invited the prettiest girl in the whole world. Only Gokudera was alone.

 _This is the path of the right-hand man,_ he convinced himself again.

He was more interested, though, in all the fights he had seen in morning. The fact there were not only Flame users in the world filled him with curiosity and he turned even more enthusiastic by how all those teens, boys and girls, fought. He ran many simulations in his mind and came up with the conclusion that he wouldn’t be able to win over most of them. Obviously coming up victorious to those younger than him leaving him with a bitter taste in his mouth.

His eyes even turned to look at the corner with that Fiero guy choosing between two suits for his dark red fabric together with the other quiet boy, Carlos, who gave Gokudera the creeps. As if he had to thread carefully with him; if not, he wouldn’t even know how he died. His eyes, then moved to that other guy, Marco, who was surrounded by other teens laughing while trying to choose a suit for their fabrics; some even changing their fabrics. Those two guys had become Gokudera’s target. He wanted to fight them.

And he wasn’t the only one, Hibari and Ryohei’s eyes were sparkling with anticipation as they would surely ask those two to fight. Hibari had even thought of fighting those twin sisters after being able to discern a bit of Iolanthe’s style in them from that short encounter he had with the older woman.

“Gokudera-kun, are you listening?” Tsuna’s voice took the Storm out of his thoughts.

“Huh? Uh, sorry, I was thinking about something else. What were you saying?” He sheepishly apologized.

“I was saying that we haven’t seen Reborn for so long now. Do you have any idea where he might be?” Tsuna repeated his words.

“Reborn-san?” Gokudera asked confused. “He has been around.” In the Dining Hall slapping the faces of the single dogs by showing off his Wife, and in the Arena about to break Hibari’s face for daring to ask his Wife out, he recalled.

“Has he? I haven’t seen since we arrived. I want to ask him a few things, but most importantly to talk about the man who has been too close with Io-san.” Tsuna lowered his voice the more he spoke, worried that the teens around him could hear him talking about Iolanthe. Tsuna had noticed all the kids looked up to and respected Iolanthe a lot, so he felt uncomfortable gossiping about her.

“The man with Io-san?” Gokudera’s mind blanked. “Wasn’t that- ouch! Who threw this?!” He angrily stood up holding a wooden figurine in his hand. He had almost gotten his skull open by it.

“Stop talking nonsense and quickly get ready.” Reborn, in his splendorous tall form, stepped into the common room and looked how all the guys who had been joking around stood to attention, to then run to their own rooms as soon as they got their suits to get dressed. “You,” he then pointed at Hibari. “You better put something nice to not embarrass Iolanthe. Her friends are also visiting and staying for a couple of days, so you all better behave.” He added as an afterthought.

As soon as he was done with his instructions, he turned to walk out of the room to get ready himself for his little Sun. “Uh, excuse me.” However, Tsuna’s voice halted his steps. “Have you… have you seen Reborn?” Reborn’s lips twitched but his eyes shone with unholy amusement.

“He’s busy. You also better put something nice. If not, Lisa will get away.” The Arcobaleno advised much to Tsuna’s mortification clearly reminded he was going to the Ball with the prettiest girl in the Castle. Only then, Reborn felt satisfied and left the room. On the way to his home, Reborn thought Tsuna’s reaction to his adult form was very curious and interesting. He could actually have fun with it in the future, he evilly thought, already coming up with ideas to mess with his student.  
  


 

 


	54. The Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Many things happen before and during the Ball Iolanthe organized for her protegees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A super long chapter coming right up!
> 
> The previous chapter was also edited so might consider rereading it. Not many things were added but it is just in case you want to know all the details of the story xD
> 
> Someone commented about the pairing I actually wasn't planning on. It just happened and I decided to go with it and even included two scenes of them, so I hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> Also, music is back and this time is thanks to the band called Foxy Shazam. It is a band I have listening to lately, and more during that month I disappeared. I needed their crazy vibe to lift my mood. The sings that appear here are called BYE BYE SYMPHONY and UNSTOPPABLE if you want to listen to them. 
> 
> Oh, and what everybody was waiting for finally happened between Reborn and Iolanthe!.... or maybe not, read it to discover what happened xD
> 
> Hope you like the chapter and thanks for reading! :D

* * *

 

The back building of the orphanage saw a change. The building itself was divided; the ground floor had the expanded game room while the floor above had been renovated to hold various Dueling platforms for the Magical kids to safely practice their spells. There was even a short Dueling competition hosted and judged by the Champion Duelist, Professor Flitwick right after the scholar year ended and Holidays began. (The little man was even thinking of retiring to the Castle to preside on the Dueling competition or even train a Duelist himself.)

Those Dueling platforms had been gathered in one corner where a whole orchestra instruments were Charmed to play by themselves for the Ball. There were also many Christmas trees around the place with many presents below them, obviously for the kids to grab; there were even chances of exchanging between themselves if the opportunity presented. After all, the point was to share and be happy. The place was only illuminated by the fireworks constantly going off in the ceiling, giving it a rather lively and magical atmosphere which left the teens marveled at the sight.

There were also tables with finger food and beverages spread around where those teens who didn’t have a partner or had brought their siblings, orbited to. Lambo, I-pin and Gokudera already there; the former two trying this and that food without a care in the world, and the latter nitpicking on which food should be good for Tsuna to try.

Soon, the couples started appearing with all those rather plain guys looking very prim and proper in their elegant suits, with combed hair and shiny shoes. There were those who wanted to flaunt their high statures by wearing long coats which reached their knees. While the girls didn’t fall behind with their flamboyant wide dresses, looking very princess-like. Those who were more confident in their bodies and curves, risked those tight mermaids dresses as the tall girls even decided to wear those dresses with slits by their sides to show their long legs.

Akemi was part of the last group. She didn’t inherit her Mom’s short stature, rather that unknown Father’s with her 1.67cm tall at barely twelve. She wore that type of dress to also show off her high heels to match her rather tall partner, Yamamoto. Yamamoto himself was surprised when she saw her tall figure standing before him when he went to pick her up to her room; just like how he was told to do by those friendly teens who resided in the Castle and had received some random lessons in Etiquette by Draco when he visited.

Among one of the ones with princess-like gowns was Estelle, the Snake Charmer. Her dark skin shone with the subdued blue dress which showed her shoulders and the wide silver necklace she had borrowed from Farid. She looked very elegant in her attire which contrasted with the bit careless Ryohei who forgo the tie as he didn’t know how to put it on. They looked good together though, and Estelle was happy for it. The reason she invited Ryohei was because she wanted to have fun in the Ball and she thought Ryohei was a very fun person with his loud voice.

She wasn’t wrong though, as she did have a good time.

The representation of nice curves for their young age were the twin sisters, Janka and Rózsi, with their cream lace mermaid dresses; they still had room to grow but they were still able to show something. The two were grabbing an arm each of the extremely shy Carlos who donned an all black suit with a cream tie. He was obviously coaxed by the sisters to wear something to match their dresses as the two decided to compromise and share the boy.

All the other guys looked at him impressed and with awe at being able to hit the jackpot with the twins. After all, they were among the pretty girls in the Castle with their creamy white skin, dark wavy hair and shining hazel eyes.

One of the couples that brought the most attention was the Tsuna-Lisa pair. Lisa, by nature, was someone who caught everybody’s attention due to her Balance. Together with her mint tulle dress which made her look as if she was floating, attracted even more attention, earning the praise from everybody already present. Iolanthe had bombarded the kids constantly about being happy and comfortable with themselves and praise, instead of envy, those who seemed to look better than one. After all, they all knew that although the exterior looked pretty, the interior might not be so much.

They also knew that each and every teen had had a harsh past, so instead of envying each other, they supported each other.

What was surprising was the teen accompanying her. He looked very plain and uninteresting normally but standing beside Lisa, he let off a very comfortable vibe. Those Flames Users felt it even more as they could feel the inviting Sky Flames he exuded. They had already felt it with Xanxus but the young man’s Flames were very intense and not everybody could withstand them. Instead, Tsuna’s Flames had a very smooth quality to them, as if you could really feel yourself being immersed in fluffy clouds. Tsuna himself at that moment had never felt so himself.

Before going to pick Lisa up, he had been a tripping mess due to his nervousness and Tsunaness. However, the moment his eyes laid on the fairy like girl, his heart calmed and his disposition somehow changed. He didn’t even stuttered when he called her out. He even daringly held her hand, when he would have never done such a thing before. He also stood still when she placed a few flowers in his chest pockets that made his mind calm even more due to their scent. Also, instead of being creeped out by the weird necklace and bracelet she put on him, he only felt helplessness.

Deep inside he screamed that he wasn’t acted like himself but soon a feeling washed over him saying it was fine, that it was himself, that he had always been like that and he let himself bask in that confidence. He wasn’t aware his Flames, for once, exuded the Harmony they were supposed to and that the newfound confidence made Lisa steal a few glances at him as they made their way to where the Ball would take place. Her heart even skipped a beat as he placed his hand on her waist.

Another couple that caught everybody’s attention was the Fiero-Olive pair. Due to his looks, Fiero always earned the glances of most of the girls, and more so with his three piece dark red suit, black shirt and black ribbon like brooch instead of a tie or bowtie. Curiously, a brooch with the same style held Olive’s long hair in a messy low ponytail. She had always been a cute girl despite being like a wallflower as she mostly standing beside Lisa; yet, she looked like a polished diamond with her strapless, asymmetric pale yellow dress with platform heels.

All that attention made her cling more onto Fiero’s arm to which he silently gathered her in his arms and shot a cold glare to everybody looking at her. The others caught the message and immediately diverted their gazes.

Who would shamelessly not divert his gaze from his Wife was Reborn as Iolanthe got ready herself in the lace off-the-shoulder teal dress that pooled at her feet. Due to her pregnancy, she couldn’t wear heels so she would have to drag the dress around; also, her big belly made her feel uncomfortable in tight dresses so she opted for an empire waist dress with a loose skirt around and below her belly. It reminded Reborn of that dress she wore when they first visited the British Magical Ministry and she looked as if she was floating. That was the beginning of his bewitchment.

He even had the honor of brushing her hair as the only accessory she wanted to use in her hair was a flower headband. Since he had been tutoring Tsuna, he had missed doing something so trivial as brushing her tangled mess of curls.

“What are you thinking?” Iolanthe softly asked seeing his lost gaze.

She was content and proud with how long her Husband had maintained his normal form throughout the day and she felt she was closer to dispelling the Arcobaleno Curse. Of course, she couldn’t mess with the Trinisette itself as she was aware Arcobalenos were needed. She just wanted for the chosen Arcobalenos to live a normal life without transforming in babies. Most importantly, she wanted to have a normal (or what she considered normal in her abnormal life) marriage with the person she loved: the man dazedly combing her hair.

Her heart was rapidly beating to such an inane action, yet she was very happy. She was happy having him beside her.

“Thinking of wanting to act dishonorably and ditch my daughter for you.” Reborn shamelessly replied roving his gaze up and down her body.

Iolanthe laughed at his words and she was even happier. “I also want to ditch my partner for you.”

Despite the many years he had spent stuck in his baby form, her Husband hadn’t aged at all still being a 26-year-old man that overflowed with charisma and manliness. He looked even more attractive and youthful with his pinstripe black suit and white shirt. He desisted in using a tie and instead of a jacket, he wore a blazer that showed his muscled forearms. If they actually didn’t have to attend a Ball she herself had organized and she wasn’t pregnant, then Iolanthe would have kept him in their room the whole night.

“Should we elope?” Reborn mischievously asked back hugging her, showing off his forearms on purpose, knowing very well she had been eyeing them.

“Maybe next time.” She compromised comfortably leaning on his chest. She closed her eyes and sighed as she felt his lips brushing against the skin of her neck. “You haven’t said hello to your lazy son.” She whispered moving his hands towards her huge belly.

“If he’s lazy, then he’s my son?” He asked not taking off his hand from her roundness. He hesitated a bit before poking his son with his Flames just like how he used to do with Adhara to say hello.

“Of course, Potters are an active and noisy bunch.” She replied with a smile on her face feeling the warm tendril that entered through her belly.

“I am a Sun, Iolanthe. I am very active, too.” He purred in her ear, obviously hinting to something different. “But this guy is truly a bit lazy.” He had been poking for so long, yet the baby hadn’t woken up. He suspected his son wasn’t a Flame user as he couldn’t feel any Flame in the baby. “Have you thought up of a name?” He tentatively asked. Reborn hadn’t been able to name his daughter, and although he still didn’t know how to react to a boy with his last name, he wanted to be a part of his life. Even if it was only by naming him.

“Not yet. There are many names I like but I haven’t decided on one.” Iolanthe frustratingly replied. “Do you have any in mind?” She asked, hopefully looking at him through the reflection in the mirror.

Reborn turned pensive while still trying to wake up his son. His son. The one who will carry on the Sinclair name. He suppressed the memories of that man who used to beat his Mom and him when he thought of the Sinclair name. With Iolanthe’s blood thrown into the mix, Reborn was hopeful that his son wouldn’t inherit any trait of that man. He also didn’t want his son to be like himself. He knew how flawed he was and only Iolanthe was able to accept him as such. Reborn didn’t want his son to be like a Sinclair even if he would continue the line. Then, what did he want for his son?

Finally feeling the stirrings of the waking baby, he said:

“You are a man, son. Men should protect the women they love...” He trailed off, sudden dread filling his heart. “If… If I am not able to see you grow, then you will have to protect your Mom and sisters in my place together with your older brother. Be strong and treat the flowers of our family gently. Make them happy. Never say no to them as they are monsters when mad.” Iolanthe watery chuckled at his words. “Don’t let your sisters marry, and never allow your Mom to remarry in case your old man kicks the bucket.” The times he couldn’t feel his Flames were getting more often, as if they weren’t there. “Most importantly, be happy.”

“Should we name him Calix?” Iolanthe softly asked tightly grabbing Reborn’s hands and doing her best to hold back her tears. His words let her know she was running out of time.

“Calix?” Reborn asked confused. He couldn’t think of the reason why she would want to name their son like that.

“The set of sepals protecting the flower is called Calyx, but it is normally written with an I. What do you think?” Iolanthe explained.

His Wife could be very clever sometimes. Reborn never thought she would take his words that seriously that she would come up with a name upon hearing him talk with their son. “I like it.” He admitted.

Neither mentioned that part in which Reborn was talking about his imminent death, nor did they actually want to think about it. Winter Holidays were the happiest time of the year for them. Reborn had never missed them, as the Holidays meant the beginning of their Family when Farid was officially made a Potter and Teddy was left on their care. If lucky, then their son would also be born during the Holidays, adding to the special meaning it already had for them. There was no room for sadness in it.

After they got ready, Reborn left a breathless and blushing Iolanthe thanks to his kiss to pick up his little Sun. He expected her to be getting ready in the room she shared with Farid but the two girls were actually standing in front of the Fireplace, looking at it as if it was the most interesting thing in the whole world. He also stood there waiting to see what would happen but minutes went by and neither girl moved. Even Iolanthe had finished redoing the little make-up she had put on before he had savagely ruined it with his talents and was standing beside him, looking at the girls, too.

Reborn couldn’t hold his curiosity -and mild worry- back. “What are you doing?”

His sudden question startled the girls who were focused on the Fireplace making them jump. _**“Dad!”**_ Farid even turned a bit nervous seeing Reborn together with her Mom looking at the two girls.

Reborn narrowed his eyes. His fidgeting daughter was acting suspicious. “What are you doing waiting in front of the Fireplace? Is someone coming?” Someone must be coming for them to be there. The question was, who?

“Farid’s boyfriend!” Adhara suddenly exclaimed with a glint in her eyes.

“ _ **He’s not my boyfriend!”**_ Farid quickly denied throwing a quick glance to her Dad who looked ready to die.

“Then, why you invite him to the Ball?” Adhara returned, not convinced, with her still pudgy arms crossed over her chest. Having spent all her short life hearing her sister’s hissy language, she could understand what Farid was saying most of the time. She, sadly, was not an expert in the bug language like her Dad.

“ _ **You invited Dad but he’s not your boyfriend.”**_ Farid tried her best to win the argument but she underestimated the shamelessness and stubbornness of a toddler.

“It different.”

Seeing her opportunity, Farid counterattacked. _**“How is it different? He spent a long time with us, so he can be considered Family, just like Dad is our Dad!”**_

“No, it different.” Adhara still didn’t accept her big sister’s words and shook her head. Actually, Adhara didn’t want to get Farid in trouble. She just answered a question she thought she was sure of, that she knew the answer was the correct one. That was how innocent kids were, getting their siblings in trouble unknowingly.

And to make things worse, the so-called ‘boyfriend’ appeared behind the green flames of the Floo. Stepping out, he looked around and his eyes stopped on the girl with a red Saree. The thing hugged her underdeveloped body nicely while the studded nude top made him stare and frown for a second. The piece of long clothe that crossed over her chest and hung over her left shoulder was the saving grace of the nude top. Her jewelry was also very on point with her clothes, all of them in gold. Very simple, which looked nicely on her as she was still a girl.

“Let’s go.” He said and very gentlemanly extended his hand towards her, though he quickly retracted the hand feeling danger. A very, very tiny piece of one of his nails couldn’t be saved and was cut. His pupils dilated, yet he wasn’t able to dodge on time and the next second, he found himself on his knees with a hand tightly holding his nape, somehow rendering him unable to move.

Hearing the conversation of his daughters, Reborn felt the pit of his stomach churning in rage. Though, he would obviously not lash out on his dear Farid who was trying very hard to explain herself. Luckily, the guy she had invited timely appeared, giving him someone on which he could vent his anger. Stinky brat trying to put his dirty paws on my daughter! He seethed. His mind still hadn’t forgotten how ten years in the future, his Farid was going to get married. Was it with this guy? “Fancy seeing you here, Xanxus.” Reborn all but growled.

“Let go, Arcobaleno.” Xanxus’ Flames were already reacting to his own anger. They were threatening to explode but had the decency to hold back knowing how much Farid loved her adoptive Father. He was really doing it for her.

Reborn was unwilling.

He didn’t want to see any of his daughters being taken away by some filthy guy unworthy of his awesome little flowers. He hadn’t spent enough time with them, so he felt bitter knowing his Farid was already seeking another man’s arms when her Dad’s were still very much there… ok, not really there but that was not the point. Thinking about his soon doom, he felt even more unwilling. And he regretted a bit. He regretted believing he still needed his job. But did he, actually? He was unable to answer his own question when a hand gently grabbed the one he was using to subdue the Varia Head.

“Leave it to me.” Iolanthe softly said, easily appeasing Reborn’s anger. Once her Husband let Xanxus go, she saw the young man quickly stand up. His face was dark and tight, obviously in a bad mood due to the humiliating position he was in. “Talk to me Xanxus.” She said while combing his disarrayed hair. She inwardly nodded in approval seeing the red feathers in his hair. She was unaware of the type of bird they were from but they matched Farid’s Saree. Red also meant a lot of positive aspects of a person, and towards a person.

“Fucking Arcobaleno, thinking himself so big just because he is actually big. If he hadn’t caught me unprepared...” Xanxus endlessly ranted while glaring at taller-than-him Reborn who was looking at the young man with a raised eyebrow, really daring him to do everything he was ranting about.

Iolanthe’s eye twitched and continued dusting off the soot from Xanxus dramatic coat. She was sure that was Lussuria’s work. “Ok, I understand.” She said cutting off his words. “Now, Farid is still only nine. By all means, she shouldn’t have been able to participate in this Ball but I am letting her go because she had already invited you. Also, I can smell a bit of alcohol from you, Xanxus, though I am sure you are still not drunk to do something stupid, right?” She sweetly smiled making her look very pretty if it wasn’t for the aura of doom and gloom that was rising in the room which concentrated on the sweating Xanxus. “I expect my daughter to have a good time in the Ball, and if you so much see her yawning or with a sleepy face, make sure to bring her back home so she can rest. Understood?”

“Clearly.” Xanxus said with gritted teeth. Fuck, at that moment he preferred facing the Arcobaleno than Iolanthe who could kill him in the blink of an eye. Once the aura of death dissipated, he took a deep breath to calm down. Throwing a nasty glare towards Reborn, he quickly picked Farid in his arms and ran down the stairs and out of the house, obviously provoking and mocking the Arcobaleno. Xanxus even successfully dodge a bullet that was aimed for his head as he ran, wildly laughing. The bullet had even come out of nowhere.

“Stinky brat, if he thinks I will easily let him off...” Reborn evilly chuckled. “Let’s go Adhara. I won’t be a good Dad and you a good sister if we don’t ruin Farid’s first date.”

Iolanthe sighed seeing how everybody forgot about the heavily pregnant her who needed help to climb down the stairs. “Ingrates, all of them.” She sulked while she Accio’d her broom and sat with both her feet on one side, very lady-like. She slowly made her way down as she also didn’t want Petal and Dew to scold her for using the broom while pregnant. Downstairs, she found the patiently waiting Hibari with black slacks, black shirt, and white jacket and tie. His hair was combed as always and that arm band that said ‘Disciplinary Committee’ was pinned on his left sleeve, too.

Seeing him, Iolanthe pondered about something. “Get on.” She said getting off herself to instruct him how to ride the broom. Hibari looked willing to try even if he stared at the broom with narrowed eyes. “Alright, like that.” Iolanthe praised seeing the magnificent balance he had as he sat on the broom without grabbing the handle. She herself sat in front of him in the same lady pose. “Hold on tight.” She held back a startled yelp when the guy shamelessly grabbed onto her waist. However, the marriage contract never once reacted confirming her suspicions.

 _This violent guy only wants a fight,_ she thought helplessly. Why was it that she only attracted weirdos?

With the confidence that she wasn’t ‘cheating’ on her Husband, she slowly made her way towards the Ball while cheerfully telling Hibari all about her strongest protegees to divert his attention to all those battle-loving teens that resided under her roof. So far, she was doing an amazing job.

  


…

  


“VOIII!!! Where is the shitty Boss?!”

Squalo’s sudden yell resounded in the Varia castle where all members were already drunk. The Officers had been sitting in a secluded corner seeing the drunk fights between the members and all the shit they came up with. There were even a couple of ostrichs in the room as if it was normal to have such an animal in Headquarters. Squalo had gone to buy even more alcohol with Bel who had money to spare, but they came back to a table without their Boss, who had been chugging alcohol as if it was water. The guy was even grumbling about wanting to erase the flavor of cookies from his mouth.

“Boss said he had a date~.” An excited and red-face from all the drinks he had had Lussuria purred making the whole place fall silent.

“No way, the Boss has a date?”

“More like, who is the unfortunate woman?”

“Who was so unfortunate to get our Boss’ attention?”

“Let’s all pray for her.”

“Hey, hey, who knows if the Boss gets happier with a woman by his side.”

“You mean, like pent up sexual tension?”

The Varia members started gossiping around after hearing their terrific Head, Xanxus, was on a date on Christmas’ Eve. If they were shocked, then the Officers nearly had a heart attack.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN A DATE, VOII?!” Squalo’s voice almost took down the whole castle.

“He came to me asking for help to choose a nice suit. That can only mean he is having a date, right?” Lussuria ignored Squalo’s tantrum and just dismissively sold the Boss out.

“Muu, I am getting curious now.” Mammon suddenly said. As an information gatherer expert, wanting to know who their Boss had a date with got their attention. Their comment also made the other Officers have a nefarious idea.

“Ushishishi, maybe we should do a mission ad honorem.” Belphegor nastily smiled very much interested in the date matter.

“What are you waiting for, you shitheads?!” Squalo was the first to run towards Xanxus’ room to get clues about where the Boss might have gone for his date.

  


…

  


The Castle saw a parade of pregnant women the moment the Weasleys arrived. It seemed the always numerous family expected two more additions from Hermione and Angelina; the two having conceived on December. With Victoire, Fred and Molly already compounding the next generation of Weasleys, Iolanthe already felt a headache coming due t her problem of choosing suitable gifts for kids. She even had a hard time getting presents for her own kids.

Either way, Iolanthe received the family and directed some of them towards the Ball. They weren’t wearing any fancy clothes as the event was mainly for the teens and not the adults but they still wanted to participate. Iolanthe also expected the fussing from Mrs. Weasley as soon as the old woman saw her. She could only smiled helplessly resenting her partner Hibari for not helping her. Although she didn’t expect him to help, he could at least die together with her under the Weasley Matriarch’s nagging.

“Come, Molly, we need to prepare the room for the kids.” Fortunately, Mr. Weasley knew just how overbearing his Wife could be and had a perfect excuse to stop her from bothering people.

Due to the two women’s pregnancy, even in their early stages, Mrs. Weasley had been adamant in taking other mean of transportation that wasn’t a Portkey or Floo, which could be very unstable and dangerous due to the distance. As such, the Weasleys had traveled by plane for the second time in their lives. The trip had also tired the kids out and were already sleeping on their Dads’ arms.

“You look almost as if you’re going to explode.” Hermione commented while patting Iolanthe’s big belly.

“Wouldn’t be surprised, actually, if this guy just slides out. He had been very lazy the whole pregnancy.” Iolanthe said with a smile.

“Not very Potter like, then.” Ron pointed out. The relationship between him and Iolanthe had warmed thanks to Hermione but it was still not like before.

“Must be from my Husband’s side, then.” Iolanthe once again jabbed Reborn for her son not being Potter like.

“Where is he? I thought he was going to be your partner for the Ball.” Hermione loudly whispered eyeing the Hibari who was standing behind Iolanthe as if he was some watch dog.

He had no intention to enter the Hall where the Ball was already in full swing and to the brim with people, if possible. He kind of regretted wanting to attend this Ball. He could barely stand being with three people around, even sighing in relief when the group of red-hairs dispersed, much less a room full with people. His hands were already itching wanting to bite all those people to death for crowding.

“If you hear an evil chuckle in the Ball, then that’s him. He had made it his mission to ruin Farid’s date.” The bespectacled Witch giggled.

Ron had heard some gossips about how the man was a loony for his daughters, yet he never thought he would reach the point in ruining one of his daughter’s date. “Is that necessary? The man should loosen up a bit.”

“Oh, Ron. When you have your own daughter perhaps you can understand how my Husband feels.” Iolanthe patted the red-headed’ shoulder with a sympathetic smile.

_Crash!_

One of the windows in the Hall suddenly broke when a table impacted with it. A very furious Xanxus was standing before the window with a dark face which was being invaded by the scars he got from being frozen in the Zero Point Breakthrough. A smug Reborn was evilly chuckling by the side. The table probably had been meant for the Arcobaleno, yet he had dodged timely and the furniture instead crashed against the tall window. The Hall had turned silent for a few seconds before the teens all excitedly murmured about the upcoming fight.

Iolanthe sighed. “Come, Hibari, we should get front row seats for the show.” Well, she had been a reckless Gryffindor many years ago and the sight of a fight also excited her. Bad habits never die and she wanted to either be in or in front, watching. In no way she wanted to see how sexy her Husband looked while toying with people around and displaying his skills. Nope, it’s all for the fun… the fun.

The first move came from the enraged Xanxus who whipped out his guns and shot at Reborn who smoothly dodged without even moving his feet and quickly counterattacked. His bullet was deflected from another of Xanxus’ attack. And another hidden shot was shattered when a barrier appeared behind him. The Sky thankfully glanced at Farid who had been hiding behind him; that same glance entrusted his back to her, to which she nodded.

The exchange made Reborn’s low mood reach rock bottom. His attacks became relentless leaving a breathless audience as he barely moved to put Xanxus and Farid under pressure from the barrage. The most experienced teens were even in awe seeing the actual control of the shots that only aimed at Xanxus’ body and never once headed for Farid. That feat required years of practice and the enough confidence to pull it up without making a mistake. The blood of all those battle-loving teens boiled in excitement. It was their first time seeing their other caretaker’s abilities in person.

The fight ended when six shots headed towards Xanxus’ legs. Having just avoided being hit by other three on his chest, he had no time to dodge and Farid’s Protego was not strong enough nor big enough to cover both his legs. In a frenzy, she cast her Spell and then turned into a snake to coil herself around one of his legs. Besides being a Maledictus and Witch, she was also a Magical snake. And as her snake-Mentor Sissee had told her, Magical snakes were very resistant to attacks. She was counting on that to successfully deflect the other shots.

The shots, however, were different and they easily hit her body making the whole place still. Reborn himself was looking incredulous at his Farid and then he paled knowing what those shots would do in her. Poor Reborn was the perfect example of lifting a rock, only for it to fall on his foot.

Xanxus had no time to care about how people around him reacted as he himself was not sure what to do. Farid was strangely slithering around him, going from his legs, up to his torso, around his arms, back to his torso to tightly coil around him, to then lift her triangular head in front of him and flick her tongue in his direction. He had the inkling she was doing something, yet he was unsure of what. He tentatively raised his hand and slid his fingers on the pretty golden scaled underside. He had either done something wrong or something right as her hood flared and she danced from left to right.

“Don’t do anything else.” Reborn said in a low voice. Living with the hundreds of snakes his Wife had hidden around the castle, there was no way Reborn didn’t know what was going on. Farid was nine years-old and considered a kid in her human form, her snake form however…

“It seems you messed up, dear Husband.” Iolanthe’s full of mirth voice sounded while she slowly walked towards the two men. She knew he wouldn’t hurt their daughter with his attacks and guessed those shots were meant as a prank for Xanxus.

The audience was still watching and gossiping, wanting to know what was happening as neither was old enough to deal with the Magical and normal snakes in the Castle for their classes. But Iolanthe was more than aware and she could only helplessly sigh. She didn’t lament her daughter’s choice but she had still hoped for a less dangerous option.

“Don’t remind me.” Reborn grumbled with a scowl as he watched Farid completely coiled around Xanxus, obviously not wanting to move.

“She’s ok, Xanxus. You, on the other hand…” Iolanthe trailed off. Magical snakes were all different so she wasn’t sure what an actual Maledictus in her snake form would do in that state. “It’s better if you stay a couple of days in the Castle just in case.” She suggested. Xanxus had no problem with it as he had previously stayed in the Castle for that ‘month vacation’ training those brats.

After all that was over, Xanxus still found himself on his knees thanks to the old yet trusty prank of tying the shoelaces differently that Adhara performed while everybody was busy paying attention to Farid. Reborn patted his daughter’s head in praise as she got revenge in his place. “Show’s over, let’s continue with the Ball.” He then announced to the crowd who were waiting for something to happen. Something happened, they just didn’t notice it.

With the Ball resuming, the official first dance was opened by Iolanthe who was surprised by Hibari’s actual dance moves. He was not bad although she still preferred her Husband. Soon more couples joined until everybody was twirling in the Hall. Some time later, everybody except the already Iolanthe who was already sitting by one of the tables with food while she happily watched the teens enjoying themselves were having fun in the Ball. She also kept an eye on the young ones, like Lambo and I-pin.

Seeing the little girl, she was reminded of Fon who was her Master. Him and Teddy had gone to train as her Godson was aware he wouldn’t be able to attend the Ball. The boy would probably be preparing for bed at the moment. He was very dedicated with his training and Fon was too happy to teach him. The Storm Arcobaleno had also received the gentle (scary) smile from Iolanthe telling him what he needed to do while training Teddy.

For the time being it was intensive as Iolanthe still hoped for Teddy to receive his Magical education when time came. Though she was still unsure if the boy would like to go to an official school or stay in the Castle. Either way worked for Iolanthe, she just needed to ask him.

And talking about Arcobalenos, she had also invited that troublemaker of Skull who promised a surprise for the teens, yet she couldn’t see even a single purple hair of his. Talk about the devil and he shall appear. “The Great Skull has arrived!” The Cloud Arcobaleno loudly announced his entrance successfully earning everybody’s attention.

“Oh, the lackey is here. Go fetch a glass of juice.” Reborn said.

“Yes, senior!” And Skull happily went to the nearest table with beverages and handed the juice to the waiting Adhara who was flushed from all the dancing. “More, like... Reborn!! What are you doing here?! And why are you back to your normal form?!”

“This is my home.” Reborn said disdainfully glancing at Skull. “And my normal form is due to my power, unlike weaklings like you.” He shamelessly boasted.

It was Skull’s turn to disdainfully look at Reborn. He even clicked his tongue. “It was all Iolanthe’s job; otherwise, you would still be worried about changing diapers in your baby form.” It had to be said that Skull was not very smart, so he didn’t earn pity when his sorrowful screams echoed in the room. “No! Stop! I’m sorry, senior! I won’t do it again! Iolanthe! Save me, Iolanthe!”

The woman herself took her sweet time walking towards the scene. She had countless times advised him to stop talking without thinking. Every time he encountered her Husband, he always ended up on the losing side. Ah well, she was still a generous soul and extricated the guy from her Husband’s claws. “Stop playing, you two.” Skull obediently stood by her side, tightly clutching her dress and throwing smug glances at Reborn as if saying, ‘look, look, she came for me’. “And then, what about the surprise you promised?”

“Oh! Yeah! Hahahaha! The Great Skull has brought you something good, kids. Everybody head to the Arena!” Saying so, he was the first who ran towards the place. Iolanthe nodded and everybody started making their way to the Arena, even the Weasleys. Luna was still going around the globe with Rolf so she couldn’t arrive while the Malfoys were actually running late. It wasn’t like them to be this late, so she thought that perhaps they wouldn’t assist.

“What is Skull planning?” Reborn asked. Him and Adhara had stayed behind.

“I don’t know, but he said it was good.” Iolanthe smiled walking to the Arena herself. Not even a few steps later, a rough hand grabbed hers.

With Adhara sat on his shoulders and his Wife by his side, Reborn felt contented. It would have been better if Farid and Teddy were there too, but it seemed they were already walking their own paths. It had been four years already. Many things had happened, many things hadn’t happened. Sometimes it felt like a long time with everything the people around him have been achieved, yet Reborn felt it was short as he hadn’t achieved much. More like, there was a lot he needed to do and he was missing time.

With his years, he had thought he already knew himself, knew what he wanted, yet it seemed all those years before meeting Iolanthe he had lived them just because he was alive. After meeting Iolanthe, he finally realized the meaning of actually being Reborn and he didn’t want it to end.

His thoughts were interrupted by an Adhara who suddenly got heavy and almost fell off his shoulders. The cold breeze had relaxed her so much that her eyes started drooping as she fought against falling asleep. However, she was still a growing child and she couldn’t win the battle. Iolanthe chuckled at the cute scene of her daughter stubbornly trying to remain awake. “Let’s put her to sleep first.” She had seen the toddler having a lot of fun in the Ball together with her Dad, so it wasn’t surprising to see her already tired and ready to sleep.

Changing her position and carrying Adhara in his arms, the couple made their way to their home. Not even the loud cheers and the beginning of what seemed to be a concert in the Arena woke the little girl up. Well, it did seem like a nice surprise from Skull for the teens who hadn’t gone to a concert before.

In their home, Iolanthe and Reborn worked together like a well-oiled machine as they took off Adhara’s dress, cleaned her with a wet towel, put her pajamas on, to finally put her to bed. It had been some time they had done those tasks together but they still remembered how to do them. After they were done, Iolanthe sat on an armchair neear the Fireplace. She was clearly tired thanks to her pregnancy and decided to rest a bit before taking a look at whatever singer or band Skull had brought for the teens.

“Are you sure you don’t want to lay down, too?” Reborn asked massaging her legs.

“Mm, I want to take a look at whatever Skull did, and after that we can lay down.” Of course, she wanted to go to bed together with him. It had been so long since they slept together, even if it was only in his baby form.

“No naughty sleeping for Mommy, right son?” The man went back to being shameless and hugged his round Wife, talking to the baby inside. “You don’t want to be poked on the forehead, right?”

“What are you saying?” She laughingly scolded him but she didn’t stop her Husband from bonding with their little Calix. Especially knowing he would be gone soon and wouldn’t have another chance to do so.

“Nothing, our son just want to be a smart guy and his parents are just a naughty pair. Mainly Mommy, Daddy is like a lamb facing a hungry wolf.” Iolanthe laughed again. Really, where had that cold, compose and cunning side of her Husband gone? He always turned silly when it came to her and the kids. Like a different man. And perhaps that was the reason why she loved him. Because he actually left all that Hitman persona out there with the blood, the bullets and deaths, turning into a simple Dad and Husband with them. He hadn’t failed completely in that regard.

“Are you happy, Renato?” She softly asked carding her fingers on his hair.

“I am.” He replied without thinking. “What about you?”

“Could be better, but I am happy.” She sincerely said. There were many things she would have liked to be different, yet she also wouldn’t change what she had at that moment. “I also love our family, and you.” She leaned and lightly kissed her Husband. She couldn’t bend for long due to her belly, anyway.

“Mm, I love our family too, and...” He seriously looked at her. Being so far away from his family made him realize many things. Among them, he just confirmed over and over in his mind how amazing his Wife was and how lucky he was to be with her.

Granted, neither of them were perfect. He just learned to ignore all of her bad traits, or if he actually couldn’t, then he had discussed them with her. Perhaps it couldn’t be seen with how casual they looked to others, yet that casual attitude had been earned by countless secret fights that nobody witnessed throughout the years. The two were stubborn and proud to death, yet they had reached a point in which these traits never interfered with their life. He had made so many concessions towards her that he hadn’t done with any other woman, so it was fair for him to finally see it and say it.

“Iolanthe, I-”

“VOIII!!! Boss! Are you here?!” A loud and savage Squalo ruined the moment between the two after he came out of the Fireplace using the Floo. And it was not only him to appeared in the house; Belphegor, Lussuria and even Mammon came, one after the other. “Mammon, are you sure he’s here?!”

“Muu, it should be.” They replied looking around. Sadly, neither noticed the gloomy Iolanthe sitting on an armchair.

“Dear guests, it seems you came uninvited.”

Right, if they didn’t get the hint with those words and the actual deathly oppression on them, then they shouldn’t be worthy of being Varia Officers. Reborn, as the clever man he was, applied that famous idiom that said, ‘Of the thirty-six stratagems, fleeing is best’ and completely disappear to let his beautiful Wife vent on those guys. Either way, they had it coming. It seemed unfair as they didn’t know what was going on between them, yet Iolanthe could sometimes be unreasonable.

 _Life is beautiful,_ Reborn thought while hearing the wails and cries of help from the four. Luckily, the rooms had Wards to prevent sound coming in or out, so Adhara had no idea what was happening outside her room as she peacefully slept on her bed.

Minutes later, his very intense Wife came out of the house looking very refreshed. “Let’s go.” She said with a smile and waded to the Arena where the concert was almost over.

She also didn’t forget to inform Xanxus that his Officers were half dead in her house and that he should do something about them. The two had encountered him while he was walking towards the house with an asleep snake-Farid still coiled around him. The guy had obviously heeded Iolanthe’s orders, otherwise he would end up like his Officers. He actually felt a bit of pity when he saw them crying on the floor and let them be while he put snake-Farid to bed.

Back in the Arena, the band was in the middle of a rest between songs with the vocalist recounting some life experience.

“I have a son named Jullian. I once went camping with him for three days. On the first day, we went tree climbing; we climbed all kind of trees in the forest. On the second day, we went fishing; the fish we caught were too small to cook them, so we let them all go.” The already riled up audience composed mostly of teens laughed at that. “On the third we were tired from the previous two days so we turned in early. Laying in our sleeping bags with the starry sky above us Jullian suddenly asked, ‘Papa, what does it mean to have the stars above us?’. I was very moved by such a deep question that I didn’t know how to reply but I tried my best, and said, ‘Jullian, I don’t know what it actually means to have the stars above us. All I can tell you is that we are just a little ball in the middle of the huge universe; that’s what I can tell you.’ He rolls towards me and tells me, ‘Papa, that’s not what it means; it means that someone stole our tent’.”

Everybody laughed and clapped at the story and cheered for the next song.

“Bring it on!” A melodic piano started to put the mood. Then the drums and a guitar put more force into the melody. And finally calm down again when the vocalist began to sing. _“_ _I'm kinda sick of losing. It makes me wanna cry. It seems everything in life I try for, I'll never get before I die.”_

The teens, despite never been in a concert before, cleverly swung their raised arms to the right and left. The song even seemed as if it was made for them. _“But what's the point in moaning? Oughtta leave that for the ghosts. It's better to think it through. Find the words that bring you hope. Oh hope, I need you.”_

Iolanthe hadn’t heard the other songs the band had already played but she could see that her protegees had had an amazing time with them. And she could also see why Skull had invited the group as their songs appeared to have a hidden message in their lyrics. A message these orphans needed. Even if the singer taught them bad words.

“ _Life is a bitch but she's totally doable. She'll knock you around and she'll lend you a hand. Oh! Life is a bitch but she's totally doable. She may be a beauty but life is a bitch.”_

There were some teens who were hit strong by the song and were covering their faces trying not to cry. They were those who were on the brink of death before Iolanthe found them. They were grateful and even thought of her as their savior. For once, Iolanthe didn’t mind being called a savior; if it was them, then she would gladly take the title.

“ _So how do I stop the spinning? I'm in need of more air. I'm dizzy from everyone around me winning. It just doesn't seem to be very fair.”_ Iolanthe herself was touched by the lyrics and brokenly smiled while leaning on her Husband.

“ _But I'll keep looking for the bright side. In the darkest hour of night. Keep an open eye to the sky. Try to find all my lost faith, yeah. Oh faith, I need you.”_

The lyrics were catchy and the chorus easy to remember to many teens repeated it together with the singer. _“Life is a bitch but she's totally doable. She'll knock you around and she'll lend you a hand. Life is a bitch but she's totally totally doable. She may be a beauty but life is a bitch.”_

The song reached its climax as the melody did a crescendo from the piano alone. The slow melody turned jumpy and cheerful as if washing away the sadness from the truths of life. The singing also became more upbeat.

“ _Bye bye symphony you were the soundtrack to my life. Bye bye symphony there are no sad songs left to write. Bye bye symphony the tears have wept down gone and dried. Bye bye symphony because you played I finally died.”_

“ _Life is a bitch but she's totally doable.”_ Both the singer and the crows sang with passion that last round of the chorus. _“She'll knock you around and she'll lend you a hand. Life is a bitch but she's totally doable. She'll tell you a story but never, never the end.”_

The cheering at the end was very loud. The band made a pause to let the noise subside. They were a Magical band and were aware of where they were performing in. They have heard of the selfless act of one Iolanthe Potter raising many orphans on her own initiative and even providing them with their education. They only felt respect for this woman and were very happy to contribute a bit of strength and hope for the future with their music to these kids who have seen it all at such a young age.

“This final song,” the singer began and paused hearing the whining of the crowd. He was glad they had enjoyed their show. “This final song is especially for you.” The teens turned silent hearing those words. “I think you are very brave kids. I also think that what the world needs is people like you, people able to move on despite their scars and problems, who want to be someone great, people who can smile despite the darkness of this world. You are amazing, guys. Now put your hands up and clap. That’s right, now say, Oh! Oh! Oh!”

“OH! OH! OH!” The teens followed his instructions and chanted while clapping, marking the pace of the song. While they did that, the guitar and the drums joined their chanting.

“ _My mother told me, poor boy be strong. Some say I won't last, I say they're wrong. And we won't back down this time. No we won't back down this time.”_ The singer started the song hyping the teens even more. Especially with the chorus that was the actual words he wanted to dedicate to these kids who needed words of encouragement more than anyone.

“ _We are unstoppable! No, we can't be defeated! We are unstoppable! No, we don't need a reason! We are unstoppable!”_

Iolanthe couldn’t explain the knot in her throat and the silent tears coming down her cheeks. Once upon a time, she had felt so small in the immense world, carrying burdens she wasn’t supposed to and still carrying on. She lost it all back then and the only words she constantly heard were ‘it is your fate’ or something down that line. Perhaps what she needed to hear were not those words but something like, ‘we can do it’, just so she could feel that what she was fighting for was actually worth it.

“ _Crawling though the dirt, you heard our prayers. Sticks and stones may hurt, but we don't care. And we won't back down this time (no, we won't). No, we won't back down this time._ Because we are…!” The singer prompted his audience and they delivered.

“ _WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE! NO, WE CAN’T BE DEFEATED! WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE! NO, WE DON’T NEED A REASON! WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE!”_ The teens all sang alone.

“Good job!” The singer praised. “Now go, _Ooh, eoh eoh eh-yeah! Yeah oh! Ooh, eoh eoh eh-yeah! Yeah oh!”_

“ _OOH, EOH EOH EH-YEAH! YEAH OH! OOH, EOH EOH EH-YEAH! YEAH OH!”_

“One more time!”

“ _OOH, EOH EOH EH-YEAH! YEAH OH! OOH, EOH EOH EH-YEAH! YEAH OH!”_

“Last one!”

“ _OOH, EOH EOH EH-YEAH! YEAH OH! OOH, EOH EOH EH-YEAH! YEAH OH!”_

“Nice! _No, we won't back down this time (won't back down this time) No, we won't back down this time._ Everybody!… _We are unstoppable! No, we can't be defeated! We are unstoppable! No, we don’t need a reason! We are unstoppable! No, we can't be defeated! We are unstoppable! No, we don’t need a reason! We are unstoppable!”_

“Thanks you very much, you were a lovely bunch!” The vocalist suddenly bid his farewell and the whole band actually poofed out from the stage together with the instruments and the lights. The crowd was stunned for a moment before cheering out loud. Although the exit was rather unconventional, that didn’t stop them from enjoying the whole concert. From earning a bit of strength thanks to the band.

  


…

  


Somewhere in Alaska.

_Crash!_

A full of soot Levi suddenly came out from the fireplace in a cabin where the whole family was decorating around the place, getting ready for Christmas. The sudden loud noise made them all scream in panic as some bricks even flew out. The man of the house even pulled down the shotgun mounted near the entrance door and pointed it at Levi who, for a moment, didn’t know how he ended up there. Still, he was not that stupid and could guess that he was toyed by Belphegor who told him the wrong address.

Either way, he made his way out of the house not before apologizing to the family for the destruction his arrival caused and even left a stack of bills on the table for them to change it into their own coin and buy something nice.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This author had to read about how snakes looked for a partner and even had to watch a video of two snakes being naughty just to write that scene of Farid and Xanxus in the Ball. It was an interesting research in which I even ended up watching videos about a guy giving a bath to a King Cobra... lol, that's the magic of YT.


End file.
